ILOILO City – Following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao during the opening of classes yesterday and raised concerns over school safety nationwide, the Department of Education (DepEd) in Western Visayas assured parents that public schools across the region have undergone structural assessments and are prepared to respond should a major earthquake occur.
Questions have been raised on whether schools, teachers and learners in Western Visayas are ready should a similarly strong earthquake strike the region, particularly regarding the safety of school buildings, preparedness of teaching and non-teaching personnel, and the availability of evacuation areas.
As of June 8, DepEd Region 6’s enrollment quick count showed 745,107 learners enrolled across the region, including 339,025 in Iloilo Province, 97,729 in Capiz, 84,955 in Aklan, 80,951 in Antique, 61,862 in Iloilo City, 36,214 in Guimaras, 24,566 in Roxas City and 19,805 in Passi City.
The region also has 46,484 teaching personnel assigned to 2,841 public schools.
DepEd-6 information officer Hernani Escullar Jr. said protocols for natural calamities, including earthquakes, are already in place under DepEd Order No. 22, Series of 2024 and DepEd Order No. 14, Series of 2026.
Most importantly, he said, engineers and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) coordinators conducted assessments of school buildings and facilities before the opening of classes for School Year 2026-2027.
Particular attention was given to structures with existing concerns, including small cracks recorded following a series of earthquakes before the close of the previous school year.
“In terms of preparations during earthquake, last week may assessment nga ginpang-obra ang schools, especially those areas nga affected or may concerns or problems. Ginpang-check man ini sang DRRM coordinators during the week prior of the opening of school year,” Escullar said.
He explained that every time tremors are felt in the region, DepEd seeks assistance from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and engineers from local government units (LGUs) to assess the structural integrity of school buildings.
“We have to check. Number one maka-affect ‘ni sa mental health nila kay ti may agam-agam bala or kulba nga basi anytime matiphag or guba or mag-cause sang injury sa ila. That’s why ginapa-assess gid naton ang facilities sa authorized government agencies like DPWH and LGUs kay they have the skills, equipment, capabilities and scientific knowledge in assessing this kind of cases,” he added.
Escullar also assured parents that learners and teachers are equipped with knowledge on what to do during earthquakes through regular participation in the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill and similar exercises conducted by local governments.
“Also, ang schools may DRRM focal person man nga naga-see to it or naga-prepare gid ini sila and handa. Once nga ara na ang situation, automatic naga-kick in na ang training nila agud safe ang kabataan sa pag-evacuate,” Escullar said.
He added that each school has a designated evacuation area, usually an open field or school ground.
Under DepEd guidelines, classes and work are automatically suspended in all public schools when the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) records Intensity VI or higher.
Schools are also required to undergo safety assessments before students and personnel are allowed to return to classrooms after a strong earthquake.
Specifically:
* Intensity V and below – The local chief executive (LCE) decides on the suspension of face-to-face classes and work. For localized school suspension, the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) shall coordinate with the LGUs, provided that schools will shift to modular distance learning performance tasks, projects, or make-up classes based on their Learning and Service Continuity Plan (LSCP) to ensure that learning competencies are met.
* Intensity VI and above – Classes and work in all levels are automatically suspended in all public schools, including ALS (Alternative Learning System). In cases where an earthquake happens while learners are in school, safety procedures shall initially be undertaken, before sending everyone home. Hover, schools are obligated to keep the learners and personnel safely in school if traveling has become unsafe.
* If an earthquake of Intensity VI or higher occurs, the school head shall request from the competent authorities (DPWH, local building officials, division engineers, and other competent professionals) to assess the school buildings before allowing students and personnel to return./PN
