DepEd evaluating assistance for students affected by Rolly, cites limited budget

The Department of Education (DepEd) is now evaluating the possibility of handing out assistance to students hit by the recent cyclones, saying its budget is limited and further funding could be sourced from different government agencies.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Tuesday said the recent cyclones — such as Super Typhoon Rolly (international name: Goni) — had minimal damage on schools given the shift to the blended learning system, which is why assistance is still being studied.

"Ito ay ie-evaluate dahil ang budget ng Department of Education ay limitado at tsaka meron tayong kabuuang agency, which is DRRMC which is nagco-consolidate ng pondo at tsaka pagtulong sa mga lugar in a very organized and harmonized way," she said during the Laging Handa virtual briefing.

Briones said that for students, financial assistance should come from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), health assistance from the Department of Health (DOH), and rehabilitation efforts in tandem with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

"The purpose here is to see na makikita nila 'yang buong picture ng damage in addition to our children. As I said, na-minimize ito dahil wala naman tayong face-to-face," she said.

Briones said that as of November 3, some 869 schools across the country are being used as evacuation centers. Some others are also being used as quarantine centers for COVID-19 cases.

The DepEd has adjusted the school calendar for this year, given the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and the shift in the academic system due to quarantine measures.

Under the revised calendar, the first quarter of the school year was extended until December 12. The second quarter was then reset to January 4 to February 27, 2021; the third quarter to March 1 to April 24, 2021; and the fourth quarter to April 26 to June 11, 2021.

The department in October also put up a system to hire learning support aides (LSA) to assist learners having difficulties in the new system, as well as those with no available guardians during school hours, and those with disabilities.

Super Typhoon Rolly, which hit the Philippines over the weekend, is set to exit the country's area of responsibility on Tuesday. However, Tropical Storm Siony is likely to develop into a typhoon as it approaches extreme northern Luzon.  —KBK, GMA News