Gatchalian urges emergency funding for the repair of quake-hit schools

Following the earthquakes that struck parts of Mindanao this week, Senator Win Gatchalian urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to agree to a supplemental quick response fund (QRF) for the repair of damaged schools.

"I strongly urge the DepEd and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to agree on a supplemental QRF, which can be sourced from the rest of this year’s National Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Program’s P20 billion allocation," Gatchalian said in a Saturday statement.

Gatchalian explained that a supplemental fund was needed given that the DepEd's P2 billion QRF had already been used up on disasters that occurred during the previous year as well as the first two quarters of 2019.

Gatchalian also urged the DepEd to coordinate with local government units in formulating emergency response plans.

"Repairing damaged school structures should also be done seismically to mitigate the damage of future earthquakes," he added.

Save the Children

Meanwhile, non-profit organization Save the Children Philippines had prepared teaching kits and temporary learning spaces that could be dispatched any time to support the DepEd's response to young students who were affected by the series of quakes, according to a November 1 press statement.

Aside from those, the organization also deployed an assessment team in North Cotabato and Davao del Sur, after the strong earthquakes that struck Tulunan, Cotabato, this week.

Citing recent statistics from the DepEd, the organization said that there was a total of 3.2 million learners who were affected by the 6.6 magnitude earthquake in Cotabato, and that they "suffered from psychosocial stress, missed out on school due to damaged classrooms, and were displaced from their homes."

"Most of the 3.2 million children affected are in conflict-affected and marginalized parts of the Philippines where access to emergency services is scant. Our team is already on the ground to assess the situation, determine the extent of damage and provide vital support to the affected communities,” said Atty. Alberto Muyot, the chief executive officer of Save the Children Philippines, in the statement. — Angelica Y. Yang/DVM, GMA News