LEGAZPI CITY (PIA) — Several hundred public school classrooms in the Bicol region that were partially damaged by multiple typhoons late last year have been restored and prepared for the May 12 elections, according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
“We have good news. I saw the report, and except for Camarines Sur, all the voting centers in Region 5, even those that were partially damaged, are now ready,” said Regional Election Director Maria Juana Valeza during a media forum in Legazpi City last week.
Valeza said she received a commitment from the Department of Education (DepEd) to prepare the report on Camarines Sur by the end of March.
“The DepEd promised to address the issues, and we will have functioning voting centers by Election Day,” she said.
Hundreds of public schools were affected by Typhoons Kristine, Nica, Ofel and Pepito, which struck the region in the last quarter of 2024.
A Rapid Assessment of Damages Report shown to the Philippine Information Agency indicated that the majority of the damaged school classrooms were located in Catanduanes (108 classrooms), Camarines Sur (144 classrooms), Camarines Norte (113 classrooms) and Naga City (43 classrooms).
As for classrooms that were buried in landslides, particularly in Barangay Burabod in Libon, Albay, Valeza said the Comelec has designated a new voting center just a few hundred meters away from the original site.
“We have already transferred the voting center and informed the constituents or voters in Barangay Burabod that their new voting center will be here,” she said. (PIA5/Masbate)
