with reports from Myra Mangampo, Project Coordinator for SAGIP

“Where do I start?”

It was a question that could not be heard but was visible enough on the faces of the teachers whose schools were submerged in ceiling-high floods during the ravage of Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (international name: Trami) in Bicol last October 23, 2024.

They tried their best to rise from the severity of the typhoon . . . only a week after.

~

Banuang Gurang is one of the 51 villages of Donsol, a town in the province of Sorsogon. It’s considered as one of the municipality’s far-flung areas, a thirty-minute drive from Donsol’s Municipal Hall. It is much closer to Jovellar, a neighboring boundary-town of Albay that can be travelled by an 18-minute drive.

Residing close to Tagbac River, Banuang Gurang is one of the barangays that suffered the most after the devastation brought by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine. Heavy floods carrying nature’s debris obstructed major roads, making it difficult for them to be reached by rescue teams. The deep floods submerged most of the houses structured near the river, including Banuang Gurang’s elementary and secondary schools.

During the storm, 6 families consisting of 20 individuals chose to evacuate in the elementary school only to find out in the middle of the torrential rains that they were not safe; they needed to break the school’s fence in order to go somewhere higher and save themselves.

Waters reached the classrooms’ ceiling and destroyed all of the schools’ learning materials such as books, school records, audio-visual materials (televisions, speakers, including laptops/computers), printers, tables, and chairs, among many others.

When the flood receded, they found out that nothing was spared. Everything was left covered in thick piles of mud.

“Three days after the storm, we tried to visit our school, but we weren’t able to do so as roads were impassable. Fallen trees, among other nature debris, blocked the roads from the town proper up to Banuang Gurang,” says Shirley Barliso Warde, Head of Banuang Gurang’s Elementary School.

“All of our 8 classrooms were flooded including our sole library and office. We tried saving some of our materials but still, they were reached by the waters,” the school head added.

In response to this urgent need, the Department of Education’s SDO-Sorsogon and the Donsol East District reached out for assistance, prompting Educo Philippines to mobilize volunteers from Pilar (another town in Sorsogon) and Donsol for this clean-up effort.

The clean-up team, composed of community volunteers and Educo staff worked tirelessly throughout the day to restore the schools to a safe and functional condition. The team arrived geared with cleaning materials and a strong spirit of volunteerism, united by one common goal: to revitalize their learning environments for the students who have been affected by the disaster. The cleaning materials the team brought were donated eventually to the schools.

“We are still eyeing 2 more weeks before the learners can fully return to their classrooms. Right now, we are shifting to distance learning through modules. However, even those pre-positioned modules were damaged by the flood,” Shirley shared with sadness to Educo Philippines.

“But some school heads pledged to lend us some of their modules,” Warde continued her story with hope.

As the day unfolded, it was inspiring to witness the resilience of the Filipino community. Despite the overwhelming task at hand, laughter and camaraderie filled the air as groups of volunteers worked side by side to clear away the thick piles of mud. Some students joined with eagerness to restore their learning environments.

Educo Philippines is committed to responding to the needs of communities in crisis, especially when it comes to helping children affected by the disaster. The organization understands that recovery is a collective effort and that every hand makes a difference. Through the initiative, Educo aims to not only restore physical spaces but also uplift the spirits of those affected.