Nearly 6,000 schools across Mindanao were affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Sarangani and nearby provinces on Monday morning, according to initial monitoring by the Department of Education (DepEd).
DepEd said it continues to monitor the situation in affected areas and is coordinating with its regional and division offices to verify the extent of damage to school facilities.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said Matanao National High School in Davao del Sur was among the most heavily affected schools identified so far.
According to Angara, the building seen collapsing in a circulating video from the school had already been abandoned following a previous earthquake that struck the area in 2019 or 2020.
The education department has also begun conducting rapid assessments in other schools to determine whether classrooms, buildings and other facilities sustained damage from the earthquake.
Officials said safety inspections are being strictly implemented before any affected structures are allowed to be used again. The inspections are intended to ensure that school facilities remain safe for students, teachers and other personnel.
DepEd emphasized that verification efforts are ongoing as reports continue to come in from various regions in Mindanao.
Based on the department’s initial monitoring data, an estimated 5,893 schools were affected by the earthquake. Authorities have not yet released a final assessment of the damage, as validation and inspections remain underway.
The department said it will continue coordinating with local education offices to gather updated information and assess the condition of schools impacted by the earthquake.
Further updates are expected as field assessments and safety inspections continue in the affected areas.
