ILOILO CITY, (Philippines): The number of schools affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off Maasim, Sarangani on Monday (June 8) morning, has risen to 8,642 schools across 43 divisions in six regions, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported.
In Situation Report No. 3 issued at 5pm, DepEd said the quake has disrupted classes for 4,090,246 learners and 156,282 school personnel across Regions IX, X, XI, XII, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), and the Caraga Region.
The latest figures mark a sharp increase from the noon report, which listed 6,224 affected schools and 3.24 million learners.
A rapid damage assessment through DepEd’s Incident Management Reporting System showed 381 classrooms sustained minor damage, 93 suffered major damage, and 62 were destroyed. The agency said the figures remain subject to verification by disaster coordinators and structural engineers on the ground.
The magnitude 7.8 tectonic earthquake struck at 7.37am, about 32 kilometers southwest of Maasim, Sarangani, at a depth of 33 kilometers.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) earlier warned of possible damage and aftershocks following the strong tremor.
Earlier in the day, Education Secretary Sonny Angara ordered the deployment of engineers to inspect affected school facilities, particularly in Region XII, one of the hardest-hit areas.
Structural engineers from the DepEd Central Office have also been sent to assist regional teams in assessing building safety and determining which classrooms remain fit for use.
Angara, who was in Cotabato City during the emergency response, said the safety of learners, teachers, and school personnel remains the department’s top priority, stressing that all school facilities will undergo thorough inspection before face-to-face classes resume.
The DepEd Central Office Agile Response Team (DART), together with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, has also been mobilised to assist in field validation, coordination, and response operations in affected areas.
The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service has directed schools to activate earthquake contingency plans and strengthen monitoring and reporting systems, especially in areas still experiencing communication and power disruptions.
The education sector’s losses form part of the wider devastation across southern Mindanao, where the earthquake damaged homes, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, and places of worship.
Search, rescue, and damage assessment operations remain ongoing as authorities account for casualties and displaced families.
Authorities continue to warn residents to stay away from structurally damaged buildings, as strong aftershocks remain possible in the coming days. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN
