DepEd: 40 schools damaged by North Cotabato quake

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 40 schools were affected by the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that hit North Cotabato last Oct. 16, the Department of Education (DepEd) reported.

In a situation report released Friday, DepEd’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) said Sarangani had the most number of affected schools accounting to 17 followed by Cotabato City with 11.

Four schools were damaged in Koronadal City, three in Kidapawan City, two in Digos City, and one each in Davao del Sur, North Cotabato and South Cotabato.

In terms of class suspensions, DepEd said there were 3,873 schools affected from 17 divisions.

There were eight divisions with 2,190 schools in Region 12 or Soccsksargen affected by class suspensions as of Thursday.

Region 11 or Davao Region, meanwhile, had six divisions with 1,007 schools and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) had three divisions with 676 schools.

DepEd’s DRRMS assured it will “facilitate the delivery of immediate assistance to ensure learning continuity.”

Fatalities from the 6.3-magnitude earthquake that hit Mindanao has risen to five. /jpv

READ: 5 persons killed by 6.3 magnitude quake in Mindanao