By Merlina Hernando-Malipot The number of schools being used as evacuation centers continues to increase amid Taal’s unrest, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Tuesday. (MANILA BULLETIN) In its Jan. 21 Education Cluster Report, DepEd said there are 309 schools in nine divisions under Region IV-A that are still being used as evacuation centers (ECs). The divisions where schools are used as ECs include Bacoor City, Batangas, Batangas City, Biñan City, Cavite, Gen. Trias City, Laguna, Lipa City, San Pablo City, and Tanauan City. In these schools, 2,571 classrooms are being used as temporary shelters for 18, 402 families or 72, 106 individuals. DepEd said there are 9, 765 learners in these ECs. In Bacoor City, one school and eight classrooms are being used as ECs, and in Batangas, 233 schools and 1, 198 classrooms are used as temporary homes of 13, 551 families or 52, 301 individuals, 7, 440 of whom are learners. In Batangas City, 15 schools and 241 classrooms are being used by 1, 450 families or 6, 408 individuals, 432 of whom are learners; while in Biñan City, two schools and one classroom are being used by four families or 20 individuals. In Cavite, 30 schools and 104 classrooms are used as ECs by 1, 549 families or 6, 554 individuals , 915 of whom are learners, while in Gen. Trias City, two schools and four classrooms serve as temporary shelters to 19 families of 80 individuals, 35 of them learners. In Laguna, seven schools and 66 classrooms cater to 65 families or 175 individuals where 337 are learners, and in Lipa City, six schools and 18 classrooms are being used as ECs of 459 families or 1, 735 individuals. In San Pablo City, one school shelters 102 families or 493 individuals, and in Tanauan City, DepEd said 13 schools and 131 classrooms shelter 1, 305 families or 4, 833 individuals, 428 of them learners. Earlier, DepEd urged local governments units (LGUs) to find alternatives for evacuation centers other than schools to avoid the continued disruption of classes. DepEd reiterated that “schools are therefore not built to serve as ECs” based on the department’s “Protocols and Guidelines on the Use of Schools as Evacuation Centers” and the “Allowable Duration of Use of Schools as Evacuation Centers (ECs),” adding that the Dedicated Evacuation Centers as per Republic Act No. 10821 or the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act of 2015 mandates LGUs to identify locations for and establish safe, inclusive, child-friendly, and gender-sensitive ECs. In the absence of a dedicated evacuation center, other alternative or temporary ECs include sports arenas, basketball courts, stadiums, multi-purpose halls, churches, and other suitable and safe public areas and structures. DepEd said the use of schools as ECs should be a “last resort.” Schools were also reminded that the use of school premises as ECs should be “as brief as possible” or “should only be up to three days for short-term displacement and fifteen days for medium- and long-term displacement.” Meanwhile, DepEd’s latest data showed that 589, 940 learners in 1,052 schools remain affected by Taal’s volcanic eruption in nine divisions under Region IV-A. While classes in other affected areas resumed on Jan. 20, Monday, the classes in four divisions remain suspended. This suspension of classes at all levels in four DepEd divisions in Region IV-A are affecting 548, 672 learners in 1,010 schools. DepEd noted that 17, 890 of its personnel remain affected by the Taal crisis.