BACOLOD City — The Bacolod City government immediately activated its emergency response teams following a magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck parts of Iloilo province on Monday evening, March 2.
Bacolod City experienced Intensity II shaking.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the earthquake initially registered at magnitude 5.0 and occurred at 6:13 p.m., with its epicenter located about two kilometers south-southeast of Tigbauan, Iloilo. PHIVOLCS later downgraded the magnitude to 4.8 and updated the epicenter to Guimbal, Iloilo.
In response, Mayor Greg Gasataya ordered the immediate deployment of Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) teams from the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO).
The teams were tasked to monitor the situation and assess possible structural impacts, particularly in billeting centers housing delegates of the ongoing Negros Island Regional Athletic Association Meet (NIRAAM).
As of 9:08 p.m. on March 2, 11 of the 17 schools and educational centers inspected in Bacolod City had been declared safe for occupancy, according to the mayor. The inspections formed part of ongoing RDANA operations to ensure the safety of students, staff, and event participants.
Mayor Gasataya said inspections in the remaining schools were still underway as of late Monday evening.
By Tuesday morning, March 3, Engr. Loben Rafael Ceballos, head of the City Engineer’s Office, confirmed that all 17 schools and educational centers inspected had been declared safe for occupancy.
The mayor urged residents to remain calm, stay alert for possible aftershocks, and rely only on official city government channels for verified updates.
He also encouraged private institutions to conduct their own visual structural inspections to ensure the safety and well-being of students and employees./PN
