Work and classes suspended for teachers, students, in wake of typhoon

Several colleges and universities suspended work and classes, as well as extended its school-related deadlines for teachers and students in the wake of typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.

The two storms significantly affected parts of Luzon, particularly the Bicol region, Metro Manila, as well as the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal.

Typhoon Rolly (International name Goni), categorized as a super typhoon, is considered to be the most powerful and devastating typhoon to hit the Philippines in 2020, causing flooding and landslides. After making landfall in the Bicol region, it also made landfall twice in the Southern Tagalog or CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) region, then weakened to become a tropical storm.

More than 200 schools were reported to be damaged while over 800 schools were turned into evacuation centers for those who had to flee their homes. An estimated 1.3 million people were affected, 450,000 of these children in Bicol alone.

Typhoon Ulysses, on the other hand, made landfall on November 11, devastating Bicol once more with massive flooding with its continuous rainfall. Metro Manila, CALABARZON, and Central Luzon, suffered the same fate.

In Metro Manila, schools such as the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, the University of the Philippines, as well as the Polytechnical University of the Philippines suspended classes and work for its students and teachers to allow them to recover from the wrath of the typhoon. Deadlines for school requirements were also extended, which aligned to the earlier call of Kabataan Party-list representative Sarah Elago.

“Kung suspendido po ang klase dapat lamang suspendido rin po ang pagpapasa ng requirements, i-extend na ang deadlines,” said Elago. “Makatuwiran lamang ito sa tindi ng pinsala ng kalamidad sa buhay, bahay, imprastruktura ng Internet, komunikasyon, atbp. na kailangan sa blended distance learning.”

(“If classes are suspended then it is only right that the submission of requirements is also extended. It is only fair with the amount of damage brought by the calamity to life, homes, Internet infrastructure, communication, etc. which is needed for blended distance learning.”)