Students and teachers of Magsingal North Central School in Ilocos Sur continue to endure the difficult conditions brought about by dilapidated facilities. 

Now that the monsoon season has brought frequent rains, they have to deal with classrooms getting flooded and rainwater dripping from leaking roofs. Before their classes can even begin, students would have to spend a substantial amount of time cleaning the room. 

Some students are attending classes in makeshift classrooms.

John Adrian Aquino, a Grade 6 student, said that because of leaking roofs, they get wet when rain pours.

"Tumutulo yung ulan dito sa classroom namin," he said.

FACILITIES

The school's facilities have been affected severely by natural disasters. 

The fence was damaged by a magnitude 7 earthquake in 2022 and later collapsed due to widespread flooding caused by Typhoon Egay in 2023.

To provide temporary classrooms, materials salvaged from buildings that have been damaged were repurposed to create makeshift learning spaces.

However, these makeshift classrooms offer little protection from the elements.

Engr. Teddy Quiba, Division Engineer of the Schools Division Office (SDO) Ilocos Sur, said there are no available funds from the regional office to improve the situation. 

"‘Yung school na lang ‘yung bahalang gagawa ng paraan, para naman — kahit pansamantala — hindi masyadong mainit lalo na pag umuulan," Quibo said.

Over P30 million has been allocated by the Department of Education (DepEd) and the local government unit (LGU) for the construction of a new three-story school building with 12 classrooms.

However, the completion date remains uncertain due to design issues that have stalled the project.