THE Department of Education (DepEd) added eight private schools and one public high school on its list of educational institutions constructed on the West and East Valley fault lines.
At a press conference, Education Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC emphasized that every school is at risk of being affected by a possible 7.2 earthquake.
The private schools whose buildings or premises are transected by the West Valley Fault are: Ateneo De Manila University in Quezon City; Army’s Angels Integrated School and Sto. Niño Catholic School in Taguig City; Our Lady of the Abandoned Catholic School,
Ideal Montessori Center Inc., APEC School, and Muntinlupa Institute of Technology in Muntinlupa City; and St. Therese of the Child Jesus Annex in San Pedro, Laguna.
A building of Mascap National High School in Rodriguez, Rizal was constructed on the East Valley Fault.
On the other hand, four public schools in Rodriguez, Rizal are near from the East Valley Fault line or are located within the five-meter buffer zone: Macabud National High School, Tagumpay Elementary School, Tagumpay National High School and Mascap Elementary School.
The Education secretary said that identifying the schools traversed by fault lines is part of the department’s thrust of ensuring the safety of students.
“What is important for us here in DepEd is to get the right information. It is critical. We have tasked our principals not to base it (identifying if their schools are traversed by a fault line) by looking at a map. We want the information validated by Phivolcs (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology),” Luistro said.
On its part, the heads of private schools told reporters of the steps that they have accomplished to mitigate the effects of the possible earthquake.
ADMU Grade School Principal Jose Salvador said that they have moved the opening of their classes after Phivolcs identified three of its buildings, which are near the West Valley Fault.
Salvador said that they have not used the three buildings, which are now being retrofitted.
APEC-Muntinlupa head Ernie Cifra, on the other hand, said that they have closed their building and transferred their students to another branch.
Heads of other private schools traversed by the West Valley Fault said that they have vacated rooms and transferred their classes to safer buildings. They also vowed to conduct more frequent fire and earthquake drills and procure emergency kits.
Phivolcs Seismology Division OIC Ishmael Narag said that the schools which are transected by fault lines are sure to be damaged due to ground rupture.
“The list is only for the schools transected by the fault. So we are dealing with ground rupture because we’re sure that the schools will suffer damages if it is transected by the fault,” Narag said.
Meanwhile, Luistro said that the preparations for the “Big One” should not only rest on the hands of principals whose schools are on or near fault lines.
“Every school should be prepared. That is why I don’t want to say ‘only schools that are transected by the fault should prepare’ because that is where the problem arises. You and I know that the earthquake shakes everything. Every school, every house, every building will be affected,” he said.
DepEd said that the list of schools on fault lines is not yet exhaustive as it is still continuing its inspections in coordination with Phivolcs.
Last May 26, the DepEd released the initial list of schools transected by the West Valley Fault. These schools are: Barangka National High School in Marikina City, Alabang Elementary School, Pedro Diaz High School and Buli Elementary School in Muntinlupa City and Karahumi Elementary School in Norzagaray, Bulacan.
The 100-kilometer West Valley Fault has the potential to generate a 7.2 earthquake. It traverses 18 towns and cities in the National Capital Region, Laguna, Bulacan, Rizal and Cavite.
The last earthquake recorded in the area happened in 1658. AC