Classes still canceled in 31 Kidapawan public schools due to earthquake damage

KIDAPAWAN CITY - Classes remained canceled in at least 31 public schools in Kidapawan City in Cotabato on Saturday after city engineers and a building official found cracks on  beams, columns, and walls following strong earthquakes that rocked Mindanao in southern Philippines recently.

Of this number, 17 are public elementary schools, and the rest are secondary schools.

Data from the Kidapawan City Schools Division of the Department of Education (DepEd) showed at least 23,840 students would be affected by the cancellation of classes.

At least 42 schools, mostly elementary schools, would have to resume their classes on November 11, data added.

As a result, Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista ordered the cancellation of classes in these learning institutions.

In a radio interview, Evangelista said the city government is now focused on constructing temporary learning shelters for students in these schools so classes could resume soon.

The Kidapawan City Schools Division listed at least 128 temporary learning shelters to be built on school grounds, field, oval, and evacuation sites.

Evangelista said that among the schools where classes remained canceled are the two biggest schools in the city, the Kidapawan City National High School whose population is estimated at 8,000, and the Kidapawan City Pilot Elementary School (KCPES) with at least 4,000 pupils.

At KCPES, however, only Kinder and Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4 will resume classes on November 11.

The rest will have to wait for the completion of the construction of the temporary learning shelters.

Classes were also canceled in at least five schools for the indigenous peoples (IP) in the hinterlands. These include the Datu Ambas Manib IP School; Datu Sumin IP School and Datu Igwas Integrated IP School in Barangay Perez; Datu Umpan IP School in Barangay Balabag; and Lake Agko Integrated IP School in Barangay Ilomavis.

Kidapawan DepEd said the construction of temporary learning shelters will be financed by the Tacurong City government, Banco de Oro Foundation, EastWest Rural Bank, Sarangani Schools Division, Energy Development Corporation, Aboitiz Foundation, World Vision, and the Koronadal City government.

A magnitude 6.6 earthquake hit Tulunan, Cotabato on October 29, followed by a magnitude 6.5 earthquake on October 31. —KG, GMA News