TAGBILARAN CITY — The Department of Education (DepEd) needs at least P51.69 million to clean up and repair schools damaged by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off Maasim, Sarangani on Monday (June 8), according to the agency’s latest situation report.
In Situation Report No. 5 released Tuesday, DepEd said P7.787 million is needed for cleanup and clearing operations in 267 affected schools, while P43.904 million is required to repair classrooms that sustained minor damage.
Initial assessments showed that 1,391 classrooms were damaged by the powerful quake, including 896 with minor damage, 296 with major damage, and 199 that were totally destroyed. In addition, 14 water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) facilities were reported damaged.
READ: Over 1,000 aftershocks recorded after powerful Mindanao earthquake
The highest number of damaged classrooms was recorded in Region XII with 1,023, followed by Region XI with 192, Region X with 77, Region XIII with 71, and Region IX with 42.
DepEd reported that damage was recorded in 267 public schools across 15 divisions, 14 provinces, and five regions.
Sultan Kudarat had the highest number of affected schools with 115, followed by South Cotabato with 57 and Compostela Valley with 36.
The agency also said face-to-face classes remained suspended in 8,208 public schools across 44 divisions as of Tuesday morning, while 818 schools had resumed classes.
The earthquake, which occurred southwest of Maasim, Sarangani, had a magnitude of 7.8 and a depth of 33 kilometers, according to DepEd’s report citing Phivolcs data.
DepEd said rapid damage assessments and needs analyses are continuing as engineers and disaster response teams validate reports from affected areas.
The agency has begun downloading funds to affected schools for cleanup and minor repairs and has activated monitoring and response mechanisms in earthquake-hit regions.
All figures remain subject to further validation by DepEd field offices and engineers. INQ
The Inquirer Foundation is calling for support for communities devastated by the recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao.
In partnership with the Philippine Red Cross, the foundation is amplifying appeals for food, clean water and other critical assistance for affected families.
Donors may send contributions directly to the Philippine Red Cross through its official transfer channels, the complete list is available on the PRC’s Facebook page.
The Philippine Red Cross has activated its emergency fund campaign and deployed teams on the ground to provide medical services, distribute relief goods and extend psychosocial support to affected families.
