The Department of Education (DepEd) is racing to restore learning after the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Davao Oriental in Mindanao left P2.2 billion worth of damage to schools and injured 189 teachers and students.
DepEd reported on Saturday, October 11, that the quake damaged 575 schools across Mindanao and disrupted classes for more than 101,000 learners and 9,500 teachers.
Disaster teams confirmed that 139 students and 50 teachers were injured during the tremor.
The earthquake occurred at 9:43 am on October 10, with its epicenter located 62 kilometers south-southeast of Manay, Davao Oriental, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
DepEd said that 97 percent of affected schools suspended in-person classes to allow safety inspections and engineering assessments.
The agency has activated alternative learning delivery modes, such as take-home modules and online lessons, to sustain educational activities while damaged classrooms undergo evaluation and repair.
The department explained that its Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) coordinators and engineers are conducting rapid visual assessments of school infrastructures.
It also said that it continues to coordinate with the Education Cluster and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) to strengthen response efforts and speed up recovery operations.
DepEd’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) said it is closely monitoring field reports and has reminded school communities to stay alert, follow safety protocols, and maintain earthquake preparedness as aftershocks continue.
Despite widespread damage, some teachers in affected areas have already resumed classes in temporary learning spaces and community halls, showing that learning continues even when classrooms collapse.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.