6.8-quake damages 18 Sarangani schools

DAVAO CITY – Eighteen schools in Sarangani province sustained minor and major damage in the magnitude-6.8 earthquake that rocked Mindanao on Friday afternoon, November 17.

WORKERS dismantle the collapsed function hall of the Glan Padidu Central Elementary School on Saturday, November 18, a day after a magnitude-6.8 earthquake hit Glan, Sarangani. (Photo courtesy of Genevieve Rama/ DepEd Sarangani)

Dr. Donna Panes, chief of the curriculum implementation division, said that initial reports coming from school heads showed that classrooms in Alabel, Glan, Malapatan, Malungon, Maasim, and Maitum had cracks due to the earthquake.

Panes said assessment is still ongoing in different schools of the province to determine the extent of the damage.

“There’s no official report yet as of now but the schools in Glan and Malapatan sustained major damages,” she said.

No students were injured as they were sent home at 3:30 p.m. because teachers across the province held their regular capacity building activity dubbed School Learning Action Cell every Friday, Panes added.

Panes said they have yet to determine how many schools will suspend their classes on Monday as assessment is still ongoing.

But she said that there could be several schools that would suspend classes next week.