Days after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck large parts of Mindanao, the damage it left on structures in various areas remains visible, including in schools.
Based on the initial assessment and inspection conducted by engineers from the Department of Education (DepEd), large cracks caused by the earthquake were found on the walls of several school buildings.
Some walls and roofs also collapsed, making them unsafe for students, teachers, and other school personnel.
According to data gathered by DepEd, a total of 1,391 classrooms from 267 public schools across five regions were heavily affected by the earthquake.
Of the total number, 896 classrooms sustained minor damage, 296 suffered major damage, and 199 were completely destroyed.
Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato recorded the highest number of affected classrooms, followed by Davao de Oro, Valencia City, and Sarangani.
Because of this, classes remain suspended in 8,208 schools currently under DepEd’s Level 4 “HINTO” or “STOP” guidelines as part of the Learning Continuity Emergencies protocol.
Meanwhile, 818 schools have already resumed face-to-face classes.
At present, the Education Department has released P235.1 million in funding for the deployment of 130 fully equipped Learning Continuity Spaces (LCS), complete with emergency power supply and Starlink WiFi, to the affected regions.
The agency also allocated P7.7 million for clean-up operations in 267 schools and P43.9 million for minor classroom repairs.
DepEd is also set to utilize its standby Quick Response Fund (QRF) to rebuild and replace destroyed school buildings.
The DepEd reminded school officials that before deciding to resume in-person classes, they must first ensure that school buildings undergo official inspection to guarantee the safety of students, teachers, and all non-teaching personnel.