As many as 738 schools will not be able to open classes on July 29 due to widespread flooding caused by the southwest monsoon aggravated by Typhoon Carina. The Department of Education said 425 of these were due to flooding and 246 were due to schools being used as evacuation centers. Among the schools not opening are 442 in Central Luzon, 206 in Metro Manila, 86 in Cordillera and four in Soccsksargen. In Central Luzon, most are in Bataan (208), Bulacan (92) and Pampanga (51). In Metro Manila, 71 schools postponing their opening are in Valenzuela, 42 in Malabon and 33 in Marikina.

These delays are the inevitable result of the government’s incompetence and negligence in disaster preparedness and addressing the vulnerability of schools, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) said.

“Are we doomed to have education constantly disrupted every time there is a calamity? Where is the comprehensive plan and funding to swiftly repair classrooms…? Where are the much-touted disaster-resilient classrooms? Where are the dedicated evacuation centers? Where is the adequate aid for affected families?” Vladimer Quetua, head of ACT, asked.

“When floods occur, the poor immediately gets blamed, they who convert garbage into livelihood for absence or lack of decent jobs. Environmental destruction and floods are not caused by them but by imperialist plunder, massive mining, large reclamation projects, quarrying companies that flatten mountains. Where is justice for the environment?” he said.

ACT calls to urgently address these matters and prioritize the welfare of students, teachers and the education sector in general.