THE DEPARTMENT of Education provided financial support and psychosocial interventions in the Schools Division Office of Palawan.

As of February 15, DepEd has provided the MIMAROPA region P6.5 million for the immediate needs of schools damaged by Typhoon Odette.

“We deployed support in the schools and offices in Palawan as they were the hardest-hit province in the MIMAROPA region, according to our Rapid Assessment of Damages Report. We will ensure that our schools and their learners can return to a sense of normalcy as soon as possible,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

The department said that P5.5 million will be used for the clean-up and minor repair of 274 schools in Palawan and Puerto Princesa City. The P1 million general support fund can be used for the provision of learners’ and teachers’ kits with hygiene-related items, emergency school feeding, conduct of psychosocial first aid and other immediate needs.

The department trained 460 teaching personnel on PFA to address issues and concerns of learners and personnel experiencing psycho-emotional distress.

“Kaya kami bumababa dito sa field, para ma-prioritize na natin ano ‘yung kailangan ninyo within the year at ‘yung iba pa na pwedeng interventions. Gayundin para ma-rationalize ang paggamit natin ng QRF (Quick Response Fund),” Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service
Director Ronilda Co said.

Co encouraged School Divisions officials to aggressively act and coordinate with their focal persons in the regional office and the central office for immediate data collection and analysis, resource mobilization, and other response efforts needed for recovery and rehabilitation.

“Ang implementation ay nasa inyo, so kailangan natin ng matinding coordination. Kailangan natin alamin ano talaga ang critical na nasira sa mga paaralan na kapag hindi naayos ay hindi rin makakapag-aral nang mahusay ang mga bata, kailangan ninyong i-consider iyon,” he said.