DepEd chief frowns at schools as evacuation centers

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus has appealed to local government units not to consider public schools as primary option for evacuees in cases of calamity. This was after the health department received complaints from public school officials that their facilities had been abused by evacuees in the aftermath of storm "Ondoy" in the National Capital Region and typhoon "Pepeng" in northern and central Luzon. “Hinihiling natin na kapag nagkaroon ng evacuation, huwag sana iskwelahan ang uunahin. May evacuees ngayon ayaw bumalik sa bahay-bahay dahil sagana sa relief at libre ang kuryente at tubig," Lapus said in an interview on dzXL radio. (We are asking that when there is an evacuation, public schools should not be the first option as temporary shelters. We are having a hard time sending them away because they like the free electricity and water.) Aside from the use of electricity and water by many evacuees, classes are also disrupted in ipublic elementary and high schools that are used as evacuation centers, Lapus added. Lapus said many local governments have been cooperating so far by moving the families to other buildings such as auditoriums. He also said the DepEd would push for permanent evacuation sites as a long-term solution, noting that the Philippines is no stranger to calamities. “Kailangan lagyan ng permanent evacuation sites. Di bago ang kalamidad sa atin, dapat tayo maging huwaran sa disaster preparedness and response," he said. (There is a need to set up permanent evacuation sites. Our country is no stranger to calamities. We should be an example in disaster preparedness and response.) - GMANews.TV