Magnitude 5.1 earthquake leads to school inspections,

THE 5.1 ​​magnitude earthquake felt in Cebu on Sunday afternoon, September 29, 2024, has drawn mixed reactions from local governments, highlighting the need for a uniform protocol for school suspensions during seismic events.

Proposal: Urban planner Nigel Paul Villarete, an engineer, proposed a standardized protocol for class suspensions based on the intensity and magnitude of the earthquake to ensure uniform announcements by local government units.

Cebu City

* Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia left class suspension decisions up to the discretion of individual schools.

* Garcia on Monday, September 30, ordered the Office of the Building Official (OBO) and the Urban Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office to inspect all school buildings within 24 hours.

* OBO head Florante Catalan school engineers must inspect school structures after an earthquake and present their findings to the OBO. He said these reports must be accompanied by certifications showing that school buildings are safe.

* During OBO’s inspection at Abellana National School (ANS) on Osmeña Blvd. on September 30, Catalan noted that no beams or columns appeared to have cracked as a result of the earthquake.

*Some cracks found in some walls at ANS predated the earthquake, said Cyd Theresa Vito Lao, the school’s disaster risk reduction consultant.

* In the case of new cracks, Catalaan said they will assess whether they pose a hazard, evaluating the depth and severity of the cracks. He assured that the OBO structural engineer and consultant will ensure the safety of the public.

Mandaue City

*Three public schools switched to modular distance learning due to cracks in the building, while 45 others resumed in-person classes after inspections.

* The three schools – Tingub Elementary School, Canduman National High School and Tabok Elementary School – will continue with modular learning until further notice.

*According to Attorney Marinel Oro, Information Officer of the Mandaue City Division of the Department of Education (DepEd), no suspension of classes across the city was implemented as no directive was issued by the Executive Office.

Lapu-Lapu City

* Mayor Junard Chan has suspended all in-person classes pending building inspections.

*Classes will resume depending on the outcome of inspections.

* No damage reports have been received from school principals in the city, said Ronald Ferrer, deputy director of the Lapu-Lapu City Department. This was confirmed by city engineer Perla Amar.

By the numbers

* 48 public schools in Mandaue City

* 3 schools in Mandaue City have switched to modular education

* 6 inspection teams deployed by the Office of the Building Official of Cebu City

What they say

* Oro: “This is our protocol whenever incidents such as typhoons or earthquakes occur. We need to check the structural integrity of the school buildings to ensure they are still safe for student use.”

* Chan: “Our City Engineering team, together with technical personnel from DepEd and the City Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Office, inspected all buildings to ensure they are safe for use.”

What’s next: Inspection results and final assessments are expected in the coming days, which will determine when and where face-to-face classes can safely resume. / JPS, CAV, DPC