Newsbriefs

INMATES SCARED TO RETURN TO CELLS

INMATES of the Mandaue City Jail refuse to return to their cells after being traumatized by last Tuesday’s earthquake.

Among them was 22-year-old Arkin Arquillano of barangay Umapad who was charged with illegal drug possession.

He said he was lying in bed when he heard people shouting ‘earthquake’. Everybody was asking for help. He said he was scared and he crying.

Jail inmates were led to an open space after the quake struck. Arquillano said they refused to return to their cells because of the aftershocks.

Jail warden Jessie Calumpang said cracks appeared in the prison buildings and grayish clay-like substance seeped out from cracks on the ground. / Correspondent Norman V. Mendoza

CERTIFIED SCHOOLS ALLOWED TO HOLD CLASSES

ONLY schools that have secured a certification that their buildings are safe will be allowed to resume classes tomorrow.

“I will still declare those buildings that are not yet checked as unsafe, unless there is an assessment from the engineers,” said provincial schools superintendent Arden Monisit.

The Department of Education listed 273 buildings in 78 schools in Cebu that were damaged by the Oct. 15 earthquake.

Resumption of classes will be announced per town, Monisit said. Monisit said they will provide tents that will serve as temporary classrooms for school buildings that were damaged.

“We need to ensure that the available spaces that we will be using are safe for our students and our teachers to occupy,” he added.

The DepEd’s Quick Response Fund will be used to pay for the repair of damaged classrooms. / Correspondent Michelle Joy L. Padayhag