Walang Pasok: Classes in Dumaguete City, Cebu and Bohol provinces suspended Wednesday due to quake

Published October 15, 2013 9:29am

(Updated 4:34 p.m.) Classes in Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental province and Cebu and Bohol provinces for Wednesday have been suspended to allow an inspection of the schools there following a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that hit Visayas Tuesday morning.

In a television interview Tuesday noon, Education assistant secretary Tonisito Umali said there will be no classes in the province of Cebu, Cebu City, province of Bohol, Tagbilaran City and Dumaguete City.

“Ang regional director namin umiikot at tinitignan ang mga paaralan at magrerekomenda kung ano pang mga division ang kakanselahin ang klase bukas,” Umali told GMA News TV's Balitanghali.

He said the regional director reported that many schools in Bohol and Cebu were badly damaged. Even the regional office of DepEd sustained cracks due to the earthquake.

“Agad na utos ng Kalihim Bro. Armin Luistro na siguruhin na wag hayaan ang mga bata na pumasok sa mga silid aralan na hindi ligtas,” said Umali.

He said the DepEd officials are now coordinating with their respective local government for the cancellation of classes.

“Yung mga teacher at non-teaching personnel dapat pumasok at inspeksyunin ang paaralan, mag-ulat sa mga inhenyero. Meron kaming consolidated efforts kung ano ang mga paaralan na hindi ligtas at mag-antabay tayo sa iba pang anunsyo,” Umali said.

Meanwhile, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council regional director Minda Morante said authorities are preparing a series of inspections on school buildings to check for damages caused by a powerful earthquake that hit Bohol earlier in the day.

At a press conference aired on GMA News TV's Balitanghali, Morante said they would first need to inspect schools before allowing classes to resume.

"Kailangan nating i-inspect ang structural integrity ng ating mga school buildings na ito kung pwede pa bang pasukan ng mga bata o hindi," she said. "For today, mabuti nalang holiday at ang mga bata nasa bahay sila."

Power outages

State-run Philippine Information Agency earlier reported power outages in Cebu City and Bohol, both in Central Visayas.

"The DepEd division Dumaguete announces the suspension of classes tomorrow to check all school buildings due to the earthquake," it said.

DepEd's Dumaguete City division was established as a separate division in 1975 and supervises 12 public elementary schools and two public secondary schools.

Meanwhile, classes in Cebu City for Wednesday have also been suspended following the damage brought by a magnitude-7.2 quake that hit the Visayas Tuesday.

State-run Philippine Information Agency said Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the suspension applied to all public and private schools.

"Cebu City Mayor Mike (Rama) declared all public and private schools no classe(s) tomorrow," it said.

Earlier, PIA reported the Department of Education in Dumaguete City also suspended classes for Wednesday to allow an inspection of school buildings.

On Tuesday morning, a magnitude-7.2 quake was felt in Central Visayas and parts of Mindanao. State seismologists traced the epicenter to Bohol. — with Amita Legaspi and Amanda Fernandez/KG/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: visayasearthquake, earthquakes, walangpasok, dumaguete