In the Philippines, schools are frequently transformed into emergency shelters during natural disasters, a practice that educators argue severely disrupts the academic calendar and exacerbates learning gaps among students. Following recent monsoon flooding, teachers and officials are urging the Marcos administration to prioritize the construction of dedicated evacuation centers. By moving displaced families into purpose-built facilities rather than classrooms, the government could ensure that schools remain strictly spaces for learning, even during the country's frequent climate-related emergencies.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) has been vocal about the need for this shift, noting that relying on schools as temporary housing often leads to damaged infrastructure and prolonged class suspensions. Education Secretary Sonny Angara has echoed these concerns, emphasizing that the cumulative loss of instructional time significantly hinders student progress. Despite the urgent need for better disaster infrastructure, critics have raised alarms over proposed cuts to the education budget, arguing that the government must stop sidelining schools and instead invest in permanent, safe alternatives to safeguard the future of Filipino students.