After quake, 23 classrooms in N. Cotabato deemed not safe

By Malu Cadelina Manar

Published June 3, 2013 8:31am

KIDAPAWAN CITY – At least 23 classrooms in three schools in Carmen, North Cotabato were declared “not fit for occupancy” for children this school opening due to major cracks as a result of a strong quake and a series of aftershocks that hit the town on June 1, an education official in North Cotabato said.

Worst hit was Kibudtungan National High School in Barangay Kibudtungan, Carmen, said Dionisio Costes, in-charge of school buildings in North Cotabato’s first district. Its two-storey building with 11 classrooms and another eight classrooms were declared “not fit” for occupancy.

Two classrooms at the Kimadzil Elementary School in Barangay Kimadzil, and another two classrooms in Kinabao Elementary School in Barangay Kinabao, both in Carmen town, were also declared not safe.

According to Costes, two engineers from the Cotabato Provincial Engineeering Office (PEO) had ordered “total abandonment” of the buildings and classrooms hit by quake.

“Engineers Caladro and Nacar from the PEO made an ocular inspection on Sunday and saw for themselves the damages brought by the strong earthquake to our infrastructures, our school buildings, in particular,” said Costes.

Because of the major cracks, the entrance gate of the Kibudtungan National High School would be closed starting June 3.

The Department of Education (DepEd) in North Cotabato has ordered the suspension of classes in Carmen town, which covers four districts under the Cotabato Schools Division.

Romelito Flores, assistant Cotabato Schools Division superintendent, said the order came after the assessment made by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council that several classrooms in Carmen town “are not fit for occupancy,” thus, need immediate repairs and rehabilitation.

Classes will resume right after disaster management officials completed their thorough inspection and evaluation of all school facilities in Carmen, Flores said.

Monday quake

As this developed, another strong aftershock that registered at 5.7 in magnitude hit Carmen town, at 4:08 a.m., on Monday, Engineer Hermie Daquipa of the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Kidapawan sub-office said.

The movement was shallow as it only registered a depth of 3 kilometers, according to Daquipa.

The aftershock was strongly felt in barangays Malapag, Kibudtungan, and Kimadzil, all in Carmen town.

Phivolcs head Renato Solidum Jr. advised North Cotabato residents to check their homes for damage.

June 1 earthquake

The aftershock came days after a magnitude 5.7 eathquake hit the area on June 1.

The earthquake was tectonic in origin and is considered a normal occurrence, Daquipa explained.

“When the earth moves, there is an adjustment in the local fault system. This is not man-made. This is simply a natural movement of rocks underneath,” said Daquipa.

Daquipa has also dismissed as baseless reports that there exists an active volcano in Carmen town that is expected to erupt “anytime, soon.”

“We have not monitored an active volcano in Carmen town. But we do have a volcano in nearby Bukidnon province. It, however, is not active, thus, there is nothing to worry about,” he said.

Based on the initial reports made by the Office of the Civil Defense in Region 12 (OCD-12), the earthquake damaged some P59 million worth of infrastructures and houses, mostly in Carmen town.

The worst hit were the two bridges—the Upian Bridge and Mutian Bridge, both in Barangay Kimadzil, that connect North Cotabato to Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro in northern Mindanao, which caused P50 million, the OCD-12 reports.

Aside from the 23 classrooms damaged, at least 141 houses were also damaged by the quake. —KG, GMA News

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