River overflow halts school classes

CEBU, Philippines - Some 500 students had to be moved out of the Sapangdaku Elementary School when the river beside it overflowed following a heavy downpour yesterday morning.

“Gikan alas otso ngadto alas nuwebe kusog kaayo ang ulan. Nagsige og bagting sa skwelahan kay nagsugod na og overflow ang sapa,” said Sapangdaku Barangay Captain Lorna Damalerio.

Several years ago in 2007, the area also experienced tremendous flooding when the water in the river failed to flow freely into an adjoining stream.

Mayor Michael Rama ordered the school to be closed temporarily but school officials decided to resume classes in the afternoon after the water subsided.

Demalerio assured barangay officials are monitoring conditions constantly.

Also yesterday afternoon, Rama’s executive assistant lawyer Jose Daluz III together with City Administrator Dr. Lucelle Mercado and City engineer Jose Marie Poblete convened the members of the local school board, officials of the Department of Education, and Sapangdaku barangay officials for an emergency meeting to discuss “unresolved” issues of some public schools in the city’s mountain barangays, particularly those located in unsafe areas.

Daluz said Rama has ordered that students in these schools be transferred to Napo Elementary School in Sapangdaku or Guadalupe Elementary School. The city will reportedly provide transport.

“Si mayor misulti nga undangon ang klase ug mangita og kabalhinan sa mga bata for a while.  This is already a signal and there is a need to look into this. Makuyawan man gud ta  kay everytime maghaba mabutang sa alanganin ang safety sa mga bata,” Daluz said.

He said the city has long been scouting for “appropriate and ideal” sites to relocate Sapangdaku Elementary School, Busay Elementary School, and Dr. Emilio Osmeña Sr. Integrated School in Barangay Buot that the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) has identified as a landslide-prone area.

The city is yet to identify the relocation sites.

“Dugay nami nangita og relocation site. We tried the Chua and Buot properties but there were some hitches. Naay city-owned property naa man pud nagtukod og 25 ka balay. Magreklamo sab ngano sila ang papahawaon kun magtukod og skwelahan,” Daluz said.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration foresees the imminent onset of rainy season early June based on the climate model outputs.

The country is transitioning towards the rainy season as manifested by warm and humid condition associated with frequent rain showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and early evening.

Sapangdaku Elementary School used to be called the Baksan Elementary School. — /JMO (FREEMAN)