By Cherry Joy D. Garma and Justine Wyn Edu
LAOAG CITY, June 30 (PIA) – Teachers and officials of the Department of Education (DepEd) in Ilocos Norte have extended financial assistance to the war victims in Marawi who have been affected by crisis due to the extended gun battle between the Maute terrorist group and government forces.
Schools Division Superintendent Vilma D. Eda said that members of the faculty here together with the officials spared some amount from their salaries to contribute to the victims of Marawi conflict.
The education division here was able to raise a total amount of P170, 000 which has been remitted directly to the Schools Division Office of Marawi City.
“We hope that even just for the little amount we sent, it will be able to help almost a thousand teachers in Marawi City,” said Eda.
Meanwhile, the schools division was able to record two children from Marawi who transferred here to continue their schooling.
Akel Apinos, 8, together with his cousin, Johanip Maangca, 10, enrolled at the Hilario Valdez Memorial Elementary School in Batac City.
Both kids do not have any documents to show for their enrollment but the school still accepted them and considered their situation.
“When they went here in our division, they do not have any documents, or any records, but since there is a DepEd order declaring that we have to accommodate them as there is a tragic happening in Marawi, we accommodated them,” said Nemalyn Ulep of DepEd-Batac City.
On the other hand, Eda said that if there are schoolchildren from Marawi who want to continue their schooling in the province, the Ilocos Norte Schools Division is ready to accept them.
“We will be more than willing and more than ready to accept anyone from Marawi, knowing how tough their current situation is,” Eda said. (Cherry Joy D. Garma and Justine Wyn Edu/PIA1- Ilocos Norte)
