Inquirer.net file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City Councilor Joel Garganera urged the private sector to help rehabilitate public schools damaged by Typhoon Odette, which is in preparation for face-to-face classes.
Garganera said that even if there were already 13 identified schools in the mountain barangays that were allowed to hold face-to-face classes, they could not begin to do so because of the damage they sustained from the typhoon.
It’s not only the 13 mountain barangay school, but many more other public schools in the city, which has now become a challenge to the goal of returning students to face-to-face classes.
“Supposedly katong 13 kabuok, they should already start, but then again, wa may mga atop kay nangaigo man. As I talked with DepEd (Department of Education) ang narelease nila nga budget for clearing pa, wala pay for rehabilitation,” said Garganera.
(Supposedly, those 13 schools, they should already start, but then again the schools don’t have roofs because this was hit [by typhoon Odette]. As I talked with DepEd [Department of Education], they had only released the budget for clearing, they had no budget for rehabilitation yet.)
The city’s own local school board will be helping out by providing materials to the affected schools, but they cannot provide enough manpower.
This is why the city government is urging private companies and entities to provide help to their local public schools by either providing materials, or better yet manpower.
“This is the best time to do your corporate social responsibility. You adopt a school within the vicinity sa inyong establishment (of your establishment). Help, we need all the help. Labi na kaning mga construction (especially on these construction work), please extend workers,” said Garganera.
The councilor hopes that private entities would step up and help their communities through Bayanihan spirit for the sake of the students who have been stuck under modular learning for the past two years.
He added that the return of the face-to-face classes was one of the ultimate goals of the city in moving on from the pandemic.
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