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At the peak of the floods in Metro Manila and its surrounding areas, over three million people were affected. Of those, over 200,000 were housed in 770 evacuation centres, most of them schools. With nowhere for lessons to be held, many children such as 10-year-old Michael, had classes cancelled for over two weeks.
“Just like most of our neighbors, we sought shelter here in the school where my 8-year-old brother Bryan and I study because the floodwater inside our house is already up to my neck (approximately 4 feet),” he said. His family lived in Bebe Anac Elementary School, an evacuation centre which caters to around 200 flood-affected families in Pampanga, Philippines.
“The place is cramped, humid, and there are a lot of mosquitoes, especially during the night,” Michael said. “We shared the small classroom space with around 10 to 17 families, and it is hard to live under such conditions.”
And things would get even grimmer for Michael and his family. Officials declared that classes had to resume on September 2nd, 2013, which meant that all evacuees had to vacate the premises.
“I am not sure [where we would go]. Maybe we’ll move in with one of our relatives because we have nowhere else to go,” said Michael.
Indeed, schools are some of the most commonly used evacuation centres in emergencies. However, most of these schools are not equipped to serve a large number of families. They do not have enough latrines, private bathing areas for girls or private sleeping areas. As a result, families are cramped into small living spaces and many children practice open defecation.
“Families are doing all they can to survive in a disaster like this, and schools are a natural choice for safe refuge,” said Anna Lindenfors, country director for Save the Children in the Philippines. “But children shouldn’t have to choose between a roof over their heads and a school to attend. They have a right to both.”
“We know that the longer children stay out of school, the more likely it is that they will drop out. As such, when choosing evacuation sites, schools should be the last choice in order to avoid unnecessary delays in the resumption of classes.”
For severely affected children like Michael, returning to class could prove to be both exciting and distressing at the same time.
“I’ve been looking forward to the resumption of classes since last week, but, I am not sure if my brother and I are ready for it. Both our school bags were soaked in the flood, and all our books and notebooks were destroyed,” he said.
Save the Children launched into action shortly after the floods hit the Philippines. To date, the children’s aid agency has reached nearly 4000 individuals, including 1,600 children, with immediate relief such as sleeping mats, blankets, mosquito nets, cooking pots and essential hygiene items like soaps, toothbrushes and towels. Save the Children also plans to distribute school materials and refurbish schools in the coming weeks.
