By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
NORTHERN Marianas College sustained extensive damage as Super Typhoon Sinlaku ravaged the CNMI over three days last week, but Acting President Frankie Eliptico vowed the institution would begin damage assessments and short- and long-term recovery efforts this week.
“We will be working this week to conduct damage assessments and other short- and long-term recovery processes,” Eliptico said.
“The devastation from the typhoon is profound across the Commonwealth, including our campuses on Saipan and Tinian. I’m sure you have seen — and continue to see — the disaster through photos and videos from chat groups, social media, news outlets, and your own experiences. We have also received reports of employees and students who have lost homes or parts of their homes, or who have had to shelter in bathrooms as the long-lingering typhoon moved away from our islands,” he said.
He asked the community to “please know that we see and feel the weight of what our employees, students, and their families are carrying right now. You do not carry this alone.”
“To our students and employees, your well-being will continue to be prioritized over the next several days as the college’s recovery begins. We are standing up student and employee support teams to help address critical needs and connect you with resources here in the CNMI or with organizations arriving on island,” he said.
Eliptico said the NMC website’s storm recovery page will be expanded to consolidate available resources. He also said the college will launch student hotlines, in partnership with IT&E, for those needing assistance. Hotline numbers will be announced separately.
He added that the college will reach out to displaced students and employees to assess how NMC can assist them.
Now that the “all clear” has been issued, NMC facilities and safety teams will conduct campus assessments, clear typhoon debris, and carry out necessary work to ensure campuses are safe before the return of students and employees.
“Please monitor official NMC sources, including your NMC email, for updates,” Eliptico said.
Employees will receive separate emails with additional information specific to their departments, and supervisors and select staff may be called in earlier to assist with assessments.
While assessments are ongoing, NMC will also issue updates on academic classes, instructional modalities, and revised schedules.
“Our islands have faced super typhoons before, but that does not make each storm any easier. In fact, the trauma and fatigue from previous storms remain part of our collective island story. But we are not defined by destruction — we are defined by resilience. As we have shown with concrete examples, we can rebuild stronger, and we will rebuild together,” Eliptico said.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
