ILOILO CITY — More than 6,000 schools across the Philippines are under heightened alert for possible flooding and rain-induced landslides as a low-pressure area (LPA), shearline, and the northeast monsoon continue to bring widespread rains, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.
Citing the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Weather Advisory No. 13, DepEd said the shearline is affecting the eastern section of Northern Luzon, the northeast monsoon is influencing the rest of Northern Luzon, while the Intertropical Convergence Zone is impacting Mindanao.
The LPA is projected to bring additional rains by November 24.
DepEd’s hazard monitoring shows 4,136 schools in 44 divisions at risk of flooding from November 23–24, with rainfall levels expected to reach 50–100 millimeters.
The highest concentration of schools exposed to flooding is in Region 8 or Eastern Visayas (1,811), followed by Region 13 or Caraga (1,237), Region 7 or Central Visayas (522), Region 2 or Cagayan Valley (374), and Region 10 or Northern Mindanao (192).
Flood-prone clusters appear throughout Samar, Leyte, Surigao provinces, as well as parts of Bicol and Northern Mindanao.
Meanwhile, 2,326 schools in 42 divisions are threatened by rain-induced landslides, particularly in mountainous or elevated communities.
Region 7 has the largest number of landslide-exposed schools at 969, followed by Region 8 (724), Region 10 (269), Region 2 (208), and Region 13 (156). High and very high susceptibility areas remain concentrated in Eastern Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and parts of Northern Luzon.
DepEd’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service urged schools and division offices to work closely with local government units and disaster-response councils, activate School DRRM teams, secure learning materials and equipment, and preposition emergency supplies.
The agency also reminded schools to report incidents through the Incident Management Reporting System.
DepEd said it remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of learners and personnel as the country braces for continued rains in the coming days. /mcm