TACLOBAN CITY – Department of Public Works and Highways Second Leyte Engineering District reported of almost 50 percent accomplishment in the repair of classrooms damaged during the onslaught of supertyphoon Yolanda. Of the 253 classrooms placed under repair by the 2nd LED, 125 of these have already seen completion making the whole repair efforts closely to 50% fully complete according to 2nd LED district engineer Carlos Veloso.
Lack of materials, mostly lumber, was cited for the delay for the repair of classrooms destroyed by Yolanda, close to a year now. A total of 256 classrooms in Leyte’s second district are being targeted for rehabilitation or reconstruction by the 2nd Leyte Engineering District. Partially damaged classrooms have been given priority for immediate repair within the 76 schools in various municipalities of Leyte’s second district. Veloso said that the new specifications for calamity-resilient classrooms are also being incorporated into the repair of the typhoon-damaged schools. The district is repairing and rebuilding classrooms with roofs that can endure maximum sustained winds of at least 300 kilometers per hour. Good weather is also helping to fastrack the construction and repair work, which involves fixing school buildings’ roofs, windows and doors, according to Veloso. With an average strength of 314 kilometers per hour, Yolanda was the strongest typhoon to make landfall in the world. The department is on track to finish repairing most schools damaged by the super typhoon, Veloso assured. (AHLETTE C. REYES)
