Marcos inspects Sarangani school to assess quake damage

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led an inspection of the Malapatan National High School in Sarangani on Monday to assess the damage it sustained from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake last June 8, according to a statement issued by the Department of Education.

Marcos also directed the DepEd to maintain continuous inspections of all affected schools and compile a list of teachers affected by the earthquake so they could receive housing and financial assistance from the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

Following the site visit, Education Secretary Sonny Angara underscored the administration’s commitment to accelerating recovery efforts, starting with site inspections and then moving on to high-level inter-agency coordination to fast-track the reconstruction of classrooms.

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READ: Marcos, Angara inspect quake-hit schools in GenSan

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“We won’t let our students be left behind in this tragedy. We will make sure that their return to school will be safe and orderly at the soonest possible time,” Angara said in Filipino.

“Every peso that we set aside for cleaning and repairing classrooms is an investment for the future of our youth in the face of disaster,” he added.

Addressing the plight of the teaching force, Angara said, “We’re aware of the intense trials that our teachers are going through. Many of them lost homes and property because of the earthquake. We won’t just rebuild classrooms. We will make sure that there will be enough support for our teachers who will serve as our partners in helping our communities recover.”

Malapatan National High School, which has 2,408 students and 129 school personnel, suffered significant structural impacts, including 22 totally damaged classrooms, which needs urgent intervention.

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READ: Marcos back in quake-hit Mindanao, visits Sarangani evacuees

Citing the latest reports, DepEd said 5,590 affected schools nationwide had already resumed classes, but 3,500 schools remained under active class suspension, primarily in the Davao Region and Soccsksargen.

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Currently, seven schools are serving as evacuation centers, particularly in the municipalities of Glan, Maitum, and Malapatan in Sarangani.

Following the president’s visit to the school, government officials continued inspections at key sites, including a Glan evacuation center, the Sarangani Provincial Hospital, and the Sapo Masla Bridge.

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After these inspections, an inter-agency situation briefing was conducted at the General Santos City Oval Plaza to assess the whole-of-government response to the earthquake’s impact. /atm

HELP MINDANAO EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

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.