Pupils of Don Benito Lopez Elementary School in Hacienda Antolonga, Barangay Tinongan, Isabela, Negros Occidental returned to their devastated campus on Monday, November 17, two weeks after Typhoon Tino submerged the entire school and wiped out buildings, learning materials, and all class records.
Teacher-in-charge Waren Geronca said on Sunday, November 16, that assistance has begun to arrive, but the school still needs more support to speed up repairs and restore normal learning conditions for pupils.
He said roughly 90% of the school sustained damage, making the reopening difficult, yet he remains hopeful that better days are coming.
He earlier shared that the devastation shocked him when he first saw the school.
The Hope Builders Organization Negros Island Incorporated (HBONI) has already activated its relief efforts to look for sponsors who can help construct makeshift classrooms, giving teachers and pupils a safer and more comfortable learning space while the school rebuilds into what used to be a joyful and conducive environment.
What’s the status?
DepEd’s situation report shows that Typhoon Tino damaged 1,726 classrooms across the Negros Island Region, including 277 that the storm totally destroyed and 424 that sustained major damage.
The agency pegged the reconstruction cost at P954.7 million. In Negros Occidental alone, the typhoon affected more than 64,000 learners and 3,500 education personnel.
DepEd said it prioritizes restoring safe learning environments through temporary classrooms, modular instruction, and the rapid deployment of emergency resources.
On November 11, Education Secretary Sonny Angara, Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson visited affected communities, inspected damaged schools and bridges, and coordinated immediate support for displaced learners and teachers.
They also oversaw the distribution of Starlink units from the Department of Information and Communications Technology and laptops from the ConnectED by Her Legacy Project Foundation, Inc.
Recipients included La Castellana Elementary School, Moises Padilla Elementary School, Roberto Salas Benedicto Elementary School, and Jose Pepito Montilla Garcia National High School.
LGUs in Binalbagan, La Carlota, and La Castellana also received Starlink units to restore connectivity.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.