Evacuees remain in Dagupan school on eve of enrollment day

Several families in Dagupan City, Pangasinan continue to take refuge in a school as their houses remain flooded following the continuous rains during the past week, with enrollment set to start this week.

Among the schools temporarily used as an evacuation center is the East Central Integrated School, where families continue to stay even as enrollment is scheduled to start on Monday, August 7, 2023.

“‘Yung mga gusto pang mag-stay, okay naman, kasi siyempre ang tinitignan din ng school is ‘yung safety ng mga evacuees, so ilalagay po sila sa isang building,” Barangay Herrero-Perez kagawad Richie Gomez said in a report by GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon Claire Lacanilao's on “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(For those who still want to stay, it is okay. Of course, the school is looking out for the safety of the evacuees, so they will be housed in one building.)

The previous week's rains caused flood waters to rise in Dagupan City, with 12 barangays currently flooded.

School administrators, however, said that the scheduled activities would push through despite the current conditions.

“Kahit mayroon tayong evacuees na naiwan pa, magpu-push through po ‘yung enrollment natin,” said East Central Integrated School Principal IV Maricris Ferrer.

(Even if we still have evacuees left, the enrollment will still push through.)

For her part, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Ma. Criselda Ocang said there could be a need to implement different shifts for students, as there may not be enough facilities to cater to the incoming classes.

“There are cases, for example, na hindi maihabol ‘yung mga rooms ng ibang schools for the construction or ‘yung repair (that the rooms of some schools under construction or repair could not make it)… we could actually have shifting,” she said. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA Integrated News