LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — Education officials in the Bicol region are moving forward with regional school preparations despite local environmental threats. The Department of Education (DepEd) regional office has confirmed that preparations for School Year 2026–2027 are fully underway, even as Mayon Volcano in Albay continues its active effusive eruption.
DepEd Bicol Regional Director Gilbert Sadsad stated that the annual Brigada Eskwela—the community-based school maintenance program—will proceed as scheduled from June 1 to 5, 2026, to ensure campuses are ready to welcome students.
A major challenge for local school administrators during volcanic emergencies is balancing community shelter needs with educational continuity. While several schools in Camalig, Albay, were initially converted into temporary shelters when the volcano’s magmatic unrest escalated to Alert Level 3 earlier this month, successful de-escalation and relocation efforts have largely cleared the classrooms:
- The Last Occupied School: Sadsad revealed that only one campus in the entire province remains occupied by evacuees: Bariw Elementary School in the town of Camalig.
- The Tent Solution: To free up regular classrooms for incoming students, emergency responder teams have built temporary evacuation tents outside the core school buildings for displaced families.
- Relocation Negotiations: DepEd is actively negotiating with local government units (LGUs) to transfer remaining evacuees to an open, vacant lot that will serve as a dedicated, long-term municipal evacuation site.
With an estimated 1.7 million learners enrolled across the Bicol region, Education Secretary Sonny Angara previously mobilized ₱3.715 million in emergency cleanup and clearing funds to support 133 schools directly impacted by Mayon’s heavy ashfall.
[Mayon Alert Level 3 / Ashfall] ──► [₱3.715M Emergency Cleanup Fund] ──► [June 1-5: Brigada Eskwela] ──► [Class Openings Preserved]
To shield the school system from unpredictable geological spikes, DepEd is deploying a multi-layered contingency framework:
- Alternative Learning Spaces: If sudden volcanic activity shifts or evacuation loads intensify, DepEd is prepared to erect Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) and tap modular or virtual instruction methods to prevent disruptions.
- Prepositioned Protective Resources: The agency has distributed 850 All-Weather Learning Kits (known locally as “EduKahon”) alongside N95 face masks, face shields, hygiene products, and heavy-duty disinfectants to protect students and faculty from toxic volcanic ash and gas emissions.
- Institutional Safeguards: School heads within the volcano’s shadow have been ordered to secure all physical records, textbooks, and expensive technological equipment.
Authorities maintain a strict ban on entering the 6-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), ensuring that no educational activities or transit routes compromise student safety.