Fortress of Learning: Angara Brings Hope, Relief, and Flood-Resilient Education to Pampanga

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MACABEBE, PAMPANGA — In a province still reeling from the muddy scars of recent floods, a new symbol of hope now stands tall above the waters. Education Secretary Sonny Angara, heeding President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s call for swift and decisive disaster recovery, arrived in Pampanga on Wednesday not just with relief goods in tow, but with a promise — that education, like the Filipino spirit, will not be washed away.

In the flood-prone town of Masantol, Angara joined Pampanga 4th District Representative Anna York Bondoc, DepEd Region III Assistant Regional Director Jessie L. Amin, and Schools Division Superintendent Romeo S. Alip to inaugurate a state-of-the-art flood-resilient school building at Masantol High School. Built to rise above calamities, the structure is part of a sweeping DepEd initiative to make classrooms stronger, safer, and ready for the growing wrath of climate change.

“Yung nakita nating classroom sa Masantol, I think 'yun yung magiging modelo para sa flood-prone areas. Sa Bicol, dito, sa Bulacan. 'Yan ang gusto ng Pangulo — permanent solutions, hindi lang pansamantala. We must adapt our policies,” Angara declared, his words echoing the urgency of the times.

Following the ribbon-cutting, the Secretary sat down with teachers, students, and parents in a candid dialogue about the devastation they had endured. The discussions laid bare not just physical damages, but emotional tolls — the kind that no relief pack can instantly fix. That is why DepEd, under Angara’s leadership, is integrating psychosocial support, rapid damage assessments, and continuity of learning plans into its post-disaster response.

From Masantol, the relief mission moved to Macabebe, where Angara and his team distributed food packs and essential supplies at Macabebe Elementary School. In total, over 2,000 relief packages reached teachers, non-teaching staff, and their families, serving as both sustenance and reassurance that they have not been forgotten.

In every stop, Angara underscored the same principle: that a school’s safety is just as important as the lessons taught within its walls.

“Kapag may kalamidad, una nating tanong: ligtas ba ang mga paaralan? Kumusta ang ating mga guro at kawani? Kaya’t sinigurado ng DepEd, alinsunod sa utos ng Pangulo, na may agarang tugon at aktwal na pagdalaw sa inyo ngayon,” he said, visiting not only Masantol High School but also San Isidro Elementary School and San Nicolas Elementary School.

The day ended with a rallying call to unite — government agencies, local leaders, lawmakers, and the education sector — in fortifying the country’s learning spaces against the next inevitable storm.

“Hindi natin kayang pigilan ang bagyo, pero kaya nating ihanda ang bansa. Basta’t magkakasama tayo — DepEd, LGU, Kongreso, at mga guro — walang hindi kakayanin,” Angara affirmed.

As the sun set over Pampanga, the new flood-resilient classrooms stood as more than just concrete and steel. They became a beacon — a fortress of learning that declares to every child in the floodplains of the Philippines: your dreams are safe here, and no storm will wash them away.

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