Teachers in Lucena City, Quezon cleaned schools damaged by Typhoon Aghon as they prepare for the upcoming moving-up and graduation ceremonies.

The storm left a trail of destruction at Dalahican Elementary School, for one.

Books, modules, lesson plans, learning materials, printers, and visual aids were all damaged.

The teachers and maintenance staff, despite being affected by the storm themselves, didn't hesitate to help clean up, if only to ensure a successful kindergarten moving-up ceremony and Grade Six graduation.

"Bilang guro at parang magulang na rin, dahil ako'y isang magulang, masarap sa pakiramdam... mula kinder hanggang Grade Six, mape-pay off yung paghihirap ng magulang sa pagpapa-aral sa anak," Juvy Losloso, the Officer in charge of Dalahican Elementary School, said.

"Bilang guro naman ang pagsubaybay sa kanila sa pagtuturo... reward sa kanila [ito] dahil sila ay nakatapos, [and] at the same time reward sa aming mga guro na kami ay nakapagpatapos at nakapag-produce ng graduates," Losloso added.

Maris Flores, a parent whose home was flooded, visited the school happily to get her child’s kindergarten graduation photo. 

"Kailangan talaga, kahit wala na hong masuot, gagawa po ng paraan para po sa kinabukasan ng bata. Talaga pong nakakapangiyak na lang po... gagawan po kami ng paraan talaga para matuloy lang ang graduation na iyan," Flores said.

More than 500 kindergarten learners and over 400 Grade Six students are expected to graduate at Dalahican Elementary School.

The school also served as a refuge for over a thousand evacuees at the height of Typhoon Aghon.

Mandy Jasul, the school's focal person, said there should be proper evacuation centers as schools struggle to clean and prepare for activities again. 

"Ang panawagan po namin sa ating pamahalaan [ay] makapagtayo tayo ng evacuation center, at hindi ang paaralan [gamitin na evacuation center], dahil ang paaralan po after gamitin bilang evacuation center ay nahihirapan kung paano ito lilinisin, [at] paano ito ihahanda uli para sa mga gawain ng paaralan," Jasul said.

Aside from residents seeking assistance, schools like Dalahican Elementary also hope to receive school supplies for the next academic year.