₱68.5M needed for rehab, reconstruction of 38 schools damaged by Davao quake

The number of schools that were damaged in the aftermath of the 6.1-magnitude earthquake that rocked Southern Philippines continues to increase based on the report submitted to the Department of Education (DepEd).

As of Feb. 3, DepEd monitoring showed that the number of schools with damages went up to 38.

The estimated cost of reconstruction and rehabilitation of the said schools is now ₱68.5 million.

As of Feb. 2, data from Education Cluster Updates - Region 11 showed that 14 schools were damaged in the quake. The initial cost for reconstruction and rehabilitation of these 14 schools was estimated at ₱7 million.

Citing DepEd protocols, DepEd Spokesman Michael Poa said that students in the affected schools will continue learning under Alternative Delivery Modes (ADMs).

As defined in DepEd Order No. 34 s. of 2022 or the School Calendar and Activities for the School Year (SY) 2022-2023, ADMs are “instructional or learning modalities that do not strictly follow the typical set-up for regular classroom instruction but follow the K to 12 Curriculum of formal education in content.”

Moreover, ADMs cater to learners who are in “unique circumstances that hinder them from regularly attending classes inside the classroom.”

Poa added that the affected students may also continue their education through the implementation of Distance Learning. Under this learning delivery modality, DepEd said that "learning takes place between the teacher and the learners who are geographically remote from each other during instruction.”

Distance Learning, DepEd added, includes Modular Distance Learning (MDL), Online Distance Learning (ODL), television (TV)/Radio-Based Instruction, and Blended Distance Learning.