Sapangdaku classes resume today in barangay hall

Barangay volunteers help carry arm chairs and other furniture from the Sapangdaku Elementary School to the barangay hall. (CDN Photos/Tonee Despojo)

STUDENTS of the flood-threatened Sapangdaku Elementary School will resume their classes today.

Instead of using classrooms, they will go to the barangay barangay hall where classes will be held until a new school building is built to replace the flood -prone school.

The barangay hall is about 200 meters away from the condemned school.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama went to the site yesterday where he had a dialog with parents, teachers as well as barangay officials.

Rama explained that he had to order the closure of the school last Monday to avoid endangering the lives of the teachers and students.

He said a new two-story schoolbuilding would be built in in a property over 3,000 square meters in sitio Cabarang.

Councilor Dave Tumulak said this wil cost P10 million to P13 million charged to the city’s Special Education Fund (SEF).

Barangay captain Lorna Damalerio said she will temporarily hold office at home.

Eight to nine rooms, including the conference room where Sangguniang Barangay sessions are held, have been converted into classrooms to used in in the morning and afternoon shifts for over 550 students.

Aides lend a hand to Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama (right photo) as he crosses the river. (CDN Photos/Tonee Despojo)

Ma. Elgie Englis, the principal, said they need to continue classes as parents have been complaining about the suspensions.

“Classes have been suspended for two days and we cannot delay it any further,” school principal Englis told Cebu Daily News.

She said parents have likewise raised safety concerns in holding classes at the barangay hall.

“I have heard a lot of negativities from parents. That’s why we had to conduct a consultative meeting along with city officials. Parents have to understand that closing the school is the best option,” she said.

The Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC) assisted barangay officials and school staff in transferring desks and other school equipment to the barangay hall yesterday morning.

“We inspected the location of the barangay hall as well as its stability, and we found out that it is suitable for classes,” City Councilor and CCDRRMC head Dave Tumulak said.

School staffers and disaster management personnel carried desks and chairs from the school, crossed a river to the other side and climbed up the narrow path leading to the barangay hall.

Shifts

Tumulak said the school, located in the riverbed of the Sapangdaku River, is vulnerable to flooding during downpours and earthquakes.

The barangay hall located 200 meters from the school, is more stable and is built on higher ground.

“We can lend eight to nine rooms in our barangay hall to be used for classes,” barangay chairperson Lorna Damalerio said. The school has 559 students from kindergarten to Grade 6.

The second floor of the barangay hall will be occupied by Grade One pupils who will be divided into morning and afternoon shifts.

The spacious air conditioned room meant for council meeting will be used for kindergarten classes.

Two classes of Grade Three pupils and one class of Grade Two pupils will be divided into two batches to occupy the ground floor. The third floor will be divided between Grades Four, Five and Six.

Resolution

Tumulak said he will also file a resolution declaring barangays Sapangdaku and Busay under a state of calamity during the City Council’s regular session today.

He said this will facilitate the release of money from the disaster fund and the Special Education Fund (SEF) for the construction of new schools in the two barangays.

Tumulak said they will wait for the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) to finish the preparation of a Program of Works and Estimates (POWE) for the construction of a new school.

For Busay Elementary School, Tumulak said they will still inspect the area and conduct a Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis to know if it is still suitable for occupancy.

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Classes in flood-prone Sapangdaku Elementary School to resume in barangay hall