It also coincided with the opening of classes for this school year.
Following the Magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck the coast off Sarangani in southern Mindanao on Monday, June 8, Education Secretary Sonny Angara has ordered the immediate mobilization of safety checks and emergency support to affected schools, which amounted to thousands of schools in the region.
It also comes after the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who suspended classes at all levels in the affected areas in Mindanao until further notice to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and other school staff.
“Following the President’s directive, we immediately mobilized our engineers in the affected regions, particularly in DepEd Regional Office XII, to inspect school facilities impacted by the earthquake,” Angara said, who was in Cotabato City for a school visit when the earthquake struck.
The education chief has dispatched structural engineers from the Central Office to assist in conducting damage assessments and provide additional support to regional teams in the affected areas.
He also immediately conducted an inspection of nearby schools in Cotabato.
“[I] am closely monitoring developments in the affected areas. We also inspected classrooms here today following the earthquake. The safety of our learners, teachers, and school personnel remains our top priority, and we will take all necessary measures to ensure that schools are safe before classes resume,” he added.
Based on initial reports, an estimated 6,224 schools in five regions were exposed to the effects of the earthquake — with about 3.2 million students and 128,000 teachers and personnel in total.
DepEd has immediately activated its emergency response mechanisms and is currently conducting rapid assessment and structural safety inspections of schools, especially in areas that experienced strong tremors and subsequent aftershocks.
Schools may use their Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) for the immediate repair of facilities that require minor repairs worth up to PhP50,000.
As for larger repairs and rehabilitation that require additional funds, DepEd has prepared separate funds and emergency resources to support the affected schools.
The Department also reminded the public that under DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026 or the Guidelines on Learning Continuity in Emergencies, the immediate priority during a disaster is the protection of the lives and safety of students, teachers, and staff.
Angara also directed all schools to review and strictly implement earthquake preparedness measures, including evacuation procedures and regular earthquake drills, to further strengthen preparedness for future emergencies.
Meanwhile, Angara assured parents, teachers, and students that the DepEd will immediately provide the necessary assistance to the affected schools.
“We understand the concern of our parents, teachers, and learners. When everything is safe, then we will continue our studies. Safety comes first,” he said.