53 learners, 6 teachers in Anonang,Rizal affected by Butbut-Tulgao tribal conflict; “Classes continue through special arrangements”- Kalinga SDS Buya-ao

TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Fifty-three learners and six teachers remain in Anonang, Rizal, amid the ongoing tribal conflict between the Butbut and Tulgao tribes, but classes continue through arrangements made by the Department of Education (DepEd)-Kalinga.

Schools Division Superintendent Gloria Buya-ao reported the situation during the Kalinga Provincial Peace and Order Council meeting chaired by Governor James S. Edduba on Monday, October 19, 2026.

The affected learners, from Grades 7 to 12, are attending classes in Anonang with six teachers, mostly from Santor National High School (NHS), who cannot leave the community amid the conflict.

“In Anonang, we have 53 learners who are having their classes there from Grade 7 to Grade 12. The biggest number is Grade 7, which is 20-plus learners,” Buya-ao said.

She said the teachers continue to attend to the learners despite the situation, prompting DepEd to request substitute teachers for the schools where they are assigned.

“It is also good that there are teachers who can’t go out in the community, so everyone is taking care of the learners who are locked down in Anonang,” she said.

A teacher assigned to Tagapan is also helping at Anonang Elementary School because the teacher cannot report to the assigned post. School heads have made special arrangements to ensure classes continue in the affected schools despite the teachers’ absence.

Despite these efforts, the learners face challenges due to inadequate temporary learning spaces.

Buya-ao said during her visit that the Grade 12 class was holding lessons under a mango tree, while other grade levels used a multipurpose building and adjacent open structures.

“The class with the smallest number of learners is Grade 12, with only seven. They are holding their classes under a mango tree, while the others are inside the multipurpose building and another adjacent open building,” she said.

Teachers have proposed installing walls in the open learning areas to help keep learners inside their classrooms and provide a more suitable learning environment.

Governor Edduba urged DepEd to coordinate with the municipal government to seek assistance in improving the temporary classrooms. He said the provincial government was ready to help validate the schools’ needs through its engineering office.

The assistance aims to provide learners with a more conducive environment while they continue their education amid the tribal dispute.