DepEd: Only 5 schools, not 9, directly on top of West Valley Fault

The Department of Education has clarified that only five schools are situated directly on top of the West Valley Fault, correcting earlier statements that counted nine schools.

A file sent by the DepEd to GMA News Online on Wednesday showed that five schools have at least one building sitting over the WVF.

These schools are:

• Alabang Elementary School in Muntinlupa
• Anne Claire Montessori in Taguig City
• Barangka National High School in Marikina
• Buli Elementary School in Muntinlupa
• Pedro Diaz High School in Muntinlupa

According to the department, it will consult with other concerned government agencies on the matter such as the Department of Public Works and Highways. The department also consulted with the schools' management and agreed to conduct regular earthquake drills and vacate affected buildings.

Meanwhile, the following schools were crossed out from the initial list:

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• Barangka Elementary School in Marikina
• Tibagan Elementary School in Makati City
• Tibagan National High School in Bulacan
• Karahume Elementary School in Bulacan

The four schools were unlisted after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reviewed the sites and validated that these were actually not directly traversed by the fault system.

The West Valley Fault transects 42 barangays in Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig, Makati, Taguig, Muntinlupa, and 30 barangays in Bulacan, Laguna and Cavite.

In a report on GMA's “QRT” on Wednesday, PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum Jr. explained the reason for removing the schools from the list.

“Linawin ko lang din na 'yung mga unang nabanggit na eskwelahan ay konting nagbago po ang information natin kasi 'yung detalye po kung sino may mga may-ari ng building na tinatahak ng fault ay alam talaga ng DepEd,” Solidum said.

“'Yung akala naming ay Barangka Elementary School ay magkapit bahay pala 'yung Barangka Elementary School at Barangka High School. 'Yung building na tinutukoy namin ay Barangka High School so hindi na yun Barangka Elementary School,” he added.

“Wala na rin sa listahan 'yung Tibagan Elementary School kasi po dating basketball court at isang opisina na nandoon sa vicinity ay yun pala ay sa barangay. 'Yung sa Karahume Elementary School, ito po ay hindi naman nakatayo ang mga building sa fault kundi nasa buffer zone so parang ang dalawang building nasa gitna nila 'yung fault,” he continued.

Earlier, the DepEd said that there are 140 public schools located in various barangays straddling the Valley Fault System.

Concern over a 7.2-magnitude killer quake hitting Metro Manila was stirred after the PHIVOLCS recently released the Valley Fault System Atlas, which details the areas that could be affected by an earthquake originating from the West Valley Fault. — Andrei Medina/BM, GMA News