THE Mandaue City Government has given P17 million worth of additional funds to its city’s educators to help in facilitating repairs for schools that were heavily damaged by Typhoon Odette (Rai).
Nimfa Bongo, Department of Education (DepEd) Mandaue City Schools Division superintendent, told reporters on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, that the amount came from the City’s Special Education Fund supplemental budget.
Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes formally turned over the money to Bongo on Monday, Aug. 15.
Bongo said the money they received from the City will be allocated to repair schools whose classrooms were damaged by the typhoon last December.
She said the Mandaue City Comprehensive National High School (MCCNHS), Pagsabungan Elementary and National High Schools, Labogon National High School and Maguikay Elementary School were heavily damaged when Typhoon Odette struck Cebu last December.
Bongo said most of the classrooms at the MCCNHS had lost their roofs, which is why it will receive P7 million.
The remaining P10 million will be divided equally among the four other schools, she added.
Last March, the City Government also allotted P20 million for school repairs to 14 elementary and high schools damaged by the typhoon.
DepEd 7 identified these schools as Tingub, Casili, Maguikay, Umapad, Banilad, Cabancalan II, Tabok I and II, Bakilid, and Canduman Elementary Schools and the elementary and high schools in Labogon and Pagsabungan.
City Councilor Malcolm Sanchez, who chairs the committee on education in the Mandaue City Council, said he was aware that the P20 million was not enough to cover all the damage, adding that it may cost P60 million, based on the data they gathered.
He had requested the DepEd’s Central Office in Manila to provide their city with additional funds for school repairs.
Bongo said DepEd 7 had already requested a P10 billion budget from the DepEd-Central Office for repairs of various schools in the region, but the agency had yet to act on the matter.
Bongo earlier said they targeted these schools to be fully operational by November for the full implementation of in-person classes nationwide.