The Department of Education (DepEd) on Monday said repair works for schools damaged by Typhoon Opong in Masbate are right on schedule with restoration efforts slated to be completed by December 2025 to February 2026.
DepEd Sec. Sonny Angara announced the development after leading an inspection of the DepEd’s recovery efforts in the province.
‘By the President’s directive, we immediately began the repair of schools here in Masbate,’ Angara said in Filipino in a statement.
‘We want to ensure that learning continues despite the typhoon’s impact, and that we are better prepared for future disasters,’ he added.
Data from DepEd shows that 1,651 classrooms, most of which were in Masbate City, were damaged by the typhoon in September with estimated losses amounting to P1.079 billion.
However, Angara said the agency has already downloaded P14.4 million to the Schools Division Offices of Masbate and Masbate City for cleanup and minor repairs and has also already requested an additional P23.4 million to sustain ongoing rehabilitation.
Repairs for two schools are nearing completion, specifically at Nursery Elementary School, where work on damaged roofs, ceilings, and electrical wiring has already been completed.
Meanwhile, repairs to the school buildings are about 40 to 45 percent finished.
Masbate Comprehensive National High School, on the other hand, already has its multi-story buildings and other structures at 30 to 90 percent completion.
The DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), for its part, has allocated 20 upgraded temporary learning spaces in the ongoing emergency procurement to accommodate learners from schools still under repair.
‘Most of the remaining major repair works [are expected] to be completed between December 2025 and February 2026, while funding for the replacement of totally damaged classrooms is being programmed under the Basic Education Facilities Fund 2026 and the Quick Response Fund 2026,’ the DepEd said in a statement.
Angara has likewise directed its regional offices in Cebu and Davao to expedite the assessment and repair of schools affected by the recent earthquakes.