Two minor accidents greet start of new school year in Cebu City

A MOTHER and her son sustained bruises after they accidentally fell into a septic tank at the Pardo Elementary School while a student was hit by a Multi-cab’s side mirror while walking to school during yesterday’s school opening.

Eleuteria Ramirez and her son, Jaymart, fell into the septic tank after the concrete cover they were stepping on caved in.

A student from Don Vicente Rama Memorial National High School was hit by the side mirror of a passing Multicab.

Despite the two incidents, Councilor Dave Tumulak, chairman of the city’s disaster agency, said yesterday’s school opening in Cebu City was generally peaceful.

Tumulak started inspecting different schools at 6 a.m.

Increase

“We were prepared for it. The PNP, Probe team members and even our disaster personnel were going around the different schools,” said Tumulak, who heads the Cebu City Command Center.

Acting Cebu City Mayor Edgar Labella credited the Department of Education (DepEd) for their Brigada Eskwela program which helped the schools prepare for yesterday’s opening.

Labella said City Engineering personnel helped repair chairs at the Zapatera Elementary School and will declog the canals of other public schools before the onset of the rainy season.

Dr. Rhea Mar Angutd, Cebu City Schools Division superintendent, told Labella that they expect a two percent increase in elementary school enrollees this school year compared to the 250,000 enrollees last year.

Tumulak said he learned about the accident involving Ramirez and her son, who sustained minor bruises and the high school student who was unharmed.

Preparedness

He said they covered the septic tank to prevent another accident.

“It’s the contractor’s responsibility to cover the septic tank, why did he fail to do that?,” Tumulak said.

The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) and the City Health Department (CHD) are looking into the cause of contamination of water at the City Central School.

The MCWD and CHD were testing water samples taken from public schools in Cebu City since last week.

“We told City Central School teachers to remind their students to bring their own water and whistles,” Tumulak said.

Buying water

Bringing whistles, he said, is also part of the city government’s campaign to instill disaster preparedness in schools.

The Department of Education (DepEd) in Central Visayas said yesterday’s school opening was peaceful.

Regional DepEd Director Carmelita Dulangon said 1.5 million students went to schools in the 19 school districts in Region 7.

In Punta Engaño Elementary School, teachers were told to come early so they could buy water since there is low water supply in the barangay.

“We will be using our personal money for it. We will use it to water our plants and for our comfort rooms,” school principal, Cirila Degollacion said.

Squatting on floors

In Cesar Cabahug Elementary School in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City, some classes are held at the barangay gym.

School principal Zenaida Sucalit said they have 1,300 students.

“We have other students from other barangays. We are asking DepEd and the local government to provide us with additional school buildings,” she said.

In Cebu City Central School, some students have to squat on the floor as the classrooms still don’t have chairs.

“It is hard for us to write and concentrate because we do not have chairs, we write on the floor and our uniforms get dirty,” Grade 5 student Rachael delos Reyes said.