Students horrified as strong earthquake hits on first day flag ceremonies

On the opening of classes on Monday, June 8, a major earthquake hit Maasim, Sarangani that was felt in different areas in Mindanao and left several students horrified on their first day of school.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked Sarangani and nearby provinces at 7:37 a.m., when most schools were in the middle of conducting flag ceremonies.

In the report of Rgil Relator on “24 Oras,” a two-storey condemned school building collapsed in Matanao National High School in Davao del Sur — students were filmed immediately evacuating to the nearest open area when the shaking intensified.

“Kasi facing yung mga bata sa flagpole, nasa likod po, medyo malayo po rin sa mga bata. Ito po ‘yung building na condemed na siya, hindi na pinapagamit since 2019 kasi nasira ito,” Principal Elena Marie Jane Gamboa said.

(The children were facing the flagpole, and it [the building] was behind them, quite a distance away. This is the building that has been condemned and closed off since 2019 because it was damaged.)

The building was reported to have sustained cracks from earthquakes in 2019 and is scheduled to be demolished, according to Gamboa.

No casualties were reported in the school, but some students hyperventilated and were immediately attended to by nurses and ambulance personnel from the local government unit, according to the principal.

Students and teachers were ordered to go home after classes were suspended.

Similar events were recorded at Sta. Ana Central Elementary School and Davao City National High School in Davao City, and at Demolok Valley National High School in Davao Occidental.

In Davao City, all classes in public and private schools, as well as work in all government offices, were immediately suspended. — Lyjah Tiffany Bonzo/BAP, GMA News