ILOILO City – Around 72,000 learners from 66 public schools in this city were welcomed by the Schools Division Office (SDO) of Iloilo City on the first day of classes yesterday.
Public schools opened school year (SY) 2023-2024 on Tuesday, Aug. 29. However, classes in this city were suspended until Aug. 30 due to inclement weather brought by the southwest monsoon or habagat enhanced by Typhoon “Goring.”
“Ang aton classes (in public schools) nag-start gid ya subong nga adlaw, subong ang gina-consider naton nga first day kay wala kita makadayon sa duha ka adlaw (Aug 29 to 30),” Ma. Luz de los Reyes, SDO Iloilo City superintendent, told Panay News yesterday.
Aside from public school learners, SDO Iloilo City also recorded 30,700 private school learners for SY 2023-2024.
For this school year, SDO Iloilo City expects more learners to enroll.
De los Reyes said city schools are still accepting late enrollees and transferees.
She also said learners’ studies won’t be adversely affected by the delayed opening of classes. She said the first two days would only focus on familiarization of learners, orientation of teachers, and opening programs, among others.
Meanwhile, several classrooms of nine city schools were turned into temporary evacuation centers, but this did not hamper the opening of classes.
De los Reyes said it is part of the school system to prepare contingency measures in case classrooms are used as evacuation centers.
The nine schools are the following: TCT AR Foundation Integrated Farm School-Senior High School in Lanit, Jaro district; J.L. Tiongco Memorial School in Tabuc Suba, Jaro; Severo Abeto Elementary School in Sooc, Arevalo district; Sto. Domingo Elementary School in Sto. Domingo, Arevalo; Luis Mirasol Memorial School in Dungon, Mandurriao district; Balantang Elementary School in Balantang, Jaro; E. Yusay Memorial School in Sto. Nino Norte, Arevalo; Arevalo Elementary School in Arevalo; and Molo II Elementary School in Molo district.
“Amat-amat naman naga-transfer ang mga pumoluyo sa ila balay pero may ara pa iban nga nabilin,” said De los Reyes.
The recent flooding brought by the inclement weather inundated 90 of the 180 barangays in the city, data from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office showed. These included 13 barangays in the City Proper, 16 in Mandurriao, 12 in Arevalo, five in Lapuz, 10 in Molo, 24 in Jaro 24, and 10 in La Paz./PN
