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MANILA, Philippines – At least 40 public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) were damaged by Typhoon Yolanda (international codename: Haiyan), which devastated the Visayas on November 8.
This was according to initial reports obtained by Rappler from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on Saturday, November 23, which also showed that majority of damaged HEIs are in Eastern Visayas, the region most affected by the disaster.
Five days after the strongest typhoon in recent history made landfall in 6 areas, CHED immediately suspended operations of public and private universities and colleges in the entire Eastern Visayas and in severely-affected areas in Western Visayas and Central Visayas. Operations will resume next year, Jan 15,2014.
Below is the breakdown of affected HEIs:
| Public HEIs: 5 out of 12 (15 campuses) | Private HEIs: Assessment ongoing |
|---|---|
| Aklan State University | N/A |
| Capiz State University – with major damage in 9 campuses: Burias, Dayao, Dumarao, Pilar, Poblacion, Pontevedra, Tapaz, Sapian, and Sigma | N/A |
| Iloilo State University of Science and Technology | N/A |
| Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College – with major damage in Estancia Campus | N/A |
| Western Visayas College of Science and Technology | N/A |
| Public HEIs: 3 out of 35 (4 campuses) | Private HEIs: 7 out of 127 |
|---|---|
| Cebu Normal University | Bantayan Southern Institute |
| Cebu Technological University – with major damage in two campuses: Bantayan Island and Camotes | Cebu Roosevelt Memorial College |
| Madridejos Community College | Felipe R. Veralo Memorial Foundation |
| Mount Moriah College | |
| Northern Cebu Colleges | |
| St. Louise de Marillac College of Bogo | |
| Salazar Colleges of Science and Institute of Technology |
| Public HEIs: 9 out of 14 | Private HEIs: 16 of 81 |
|---|---|
| Eastern Samar State University | AMA Computer Leaning Center (ACLC) – two campuses: Ormoc and Tacloban |
| Eastern Visayas State University | Saint Peter’s College |
| Leyte Normal University – with major damages | San Lorenzo Ruiz |
| Naval State University – with major damages | STI – two campuses: Ormoc and Tacloban |
| Palompon Institute of Technology – with major damages | Sto. Nino College |
| Samar State University | ABE Computer College |
| Southern Leyte State University | De La Salle Foundacion |
| Visayas State University | Holy Infant College |
| University of the Philippines-Tacloban – with major damages | Holy Virgin de Salvacion |
| Leyte School of Professionals | |
| Leyte Colleges | |
| Mondejar College | |
| Saint Scholasticas College | |
| Saint Paul School of Business and Law |
Next week, CHED will post on its website an updated list of affected HEIs in the 3 regions.
Last Wednesday, November 20, CHED Chairperson Patricia Licuanan also asked CHED directors and heads of public and private schools “to alleviate the condition of affected students by extending any form of assistance to the students.” (READ: CHED, colleges told: Help students affected by Yolanda)
These include admission of student transferees unable to provide proper academic records due to suspension of college operations. The acceptance of student transferees will be based on guidelines the commission will release next week.
Way ahead of CHED’s memorandum, the University of the Philippines (UP) already asked its campuses to allow cross-registration of students from the Tacloban campus. (READ: UP offers cross-enrollment for Tacloban campus students).
UP Diliman is also waiving tuition and other fees for students who come the provinces devastated by Typhoon Yolanda.
Proposed rehabilitation fund
Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, on Thursday, November 21, confirmed P1 billion of the proposed P15-billion rehabilitation fund under the 2014 budget will be allotted for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged state universities and colleges (SUCs).
Last week, Senate President Franklin Drilon recommended P1.25 billion of the Calamity Assistance and Rehabilitation Effort or “CARE” Fund to be used for repairing the school buildings of SUCs. (READ: Senate increases Haiyan rehab fund to P15B)
Drilon also said the fund will be sourced from the Miscellaneous Personnel Benefits Fund, which had an allocation of P81.06 billion for 2014. He said the fund will come from the allotment for unfilled positions and the creation of new positions.
The CARE Fund will be an item in the budget, separate from the calamity fund. It will cover not only those hit by Yolanda and the recent 7.2-magnitude earthquake, but also by other calamities the country experienced this year, including typhoons Santi and Labuyo.
“The implementing agency will be the SUCs themselves because although it is a policy of the government to let the DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways) implement infrastructure projects, we are worried of the absorptive capacity of the DPWH if even these buildings will be assigned to them,” Escudero said. – Rappler.com
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