By Merlina Hernando-Malipot The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday assured that its personnel, both teaching and non-teaching, in areas affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano will receive their salaries. Secretary Leonor Briones, in a radio interview, said that teachers will still receive their regular salaries even if classes are still suspended in Taal-affected areas. “Patuloy pa rin ang sweldo ng teachers hindi naman nila kasalanan na nangyari ang sakuna na ito nag-e-evacuate din ang mga guro (They will continue to get their salaries because it is not their fault that this catastrophe happened and they, too, have evacuated],” she said. Briones also commended the teachers in Taal-affected schools for taking care of their students amid the disaster. “Ang mga teachers, hindi talaga nila pinapabayaan ang mga estudyante nila ,” she added. Last week, Briones canceled her engagement at the Education World Forum in London to check the situation of learners and teachers in Bauan Technical High School which served as a temporary evacuation center to thousands of victims. Briones talked to some of the affected learners and directed concerned DepEd personnel to conduct Psychosocial First Aid (PFA) to help them cope with the trauma brought about by Taal’s eruption. She also said that teachers who were displaced and affected by the Taal’s volcanic activity will still receive their regular salaries. Based on its Education Cluster Report as of January 22, DepEd noted that 19, 268 of its personnel remain affected by the Taal crisis to date. The DepEd continues to urge policymakers to build multi-purpose halls in order to avoid class interruptions during disasters. It said that the number of schools that are being used as evacuation centers (ECs) continue to increase amid Taal’s unrest. Latest DepEd data showed that there are 312 schools in seven divisions under Region IV-A that are still being used as ECs. The divisions- wherein schools are used as ECs - include Batangas, Batangas City, Cavite, Gen. Trias City, Laguna, Lipa City, and Tanauan City. To date, DepEd said that 2,785 classrooms in these schools are being used as temporary shelters of 20, 165 families or 75, 435 individuals - 10, 968 of the evacuees in these ECs are learners. In Batangas, 240 schools and 2, 087 classrooms are being used as temporary homes of 14, 828 families or 54, 828 individuals - 7, 440 of which are learners. In Batangas City, 15 schools and 241 classrooms are currently being used by 1, 450 families or 6, 408 individuals - 432 of which are learners. In Cavite, 31 schools and 104 classrooms are used by 1, 567 families or 6,635 individuals - 915 of which are learners - are used as evacuation centers while in Gen. Trias City, three (3) schools and 12 classrooms serve as temporary shelters to 31 families or 147 individuals - 57 of which are learners. In Laguna, a total of seven (7) schools and 66 classrooms are housing 65 families or 175 individuals wherein 337 of which are learners. In Lipa City, six schools and 18 classrooms are being used as evacuation centers of 459 families or 1, 735 individuals - three of which are learners. In Tanauan City, DepEd said that 12 schools and 211 classrooms are housing 1, 614 families or 5, 828 individuals - 1, 196 of which are learners. DepEd’s latest data showed that 642, 740 learners in 1,120 schools remain affected by the Taal’s volcanic eruption in seven divisions under Region IV-A. While classes in other affected areas have already resumed early this week, classes in five divisions remain suspended. The suspension of classes it all levels in five DepEd divisions in Region IV-A are affecting 628, 242 learners in 1,107 schools.