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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider Visayas devider 4 classrooms in Bacolod unsafe due to 6.9 quake

4 classrooms in Bacolod unsafe due to 6.9 quake

Published Oct 2, 2025 01:24 pm
ONE classroom each in four public schools in Bacolod City are unsafe to use after the 6.9 tremor that severely hit northern Cebu and also impacted Negros Island on Tuesday night, Sept. 30. (Bacolod City Communications Office)
ONE classroom each in four public schools in Bacolod City are unsafe to use after the 6.9 tremor that severely hit northern Cebu and also impacted Negros Island on Tuesday night, Sept. 30. (Bacolod City Communications Office)
BACOLOD CITY – Mayor Greg Gasataya said that one classroom each in four public schools here are unsafe to be occupied by students following the 6.9 tremor that severely hit northern Cebu and also impacted Negros Island on Tuesday night, Sept. 30.
In a media briefing on Wednesday, Oct. 1, Gasataya said the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) immediately held an emergency meeting with different sectors and government offices to conduct a rapid damage assessment and needs analysis.
A report from the Department of Education (DepEd) showed that schools affected were Bata Elementary School I, Isla Elementary School, Education and Training Center School (ETCS)-I, and J.R. Torres Elementary School.
City Engineer Loben Rafael Ceballos said that upon inspection, DepEd stated there was a structural damage but did not specify or describe the extent.
He added that further inspection is necessary to enable them to determine if it needs retrofitting or condemn the structure.
Ceballos said that it’s possible that these classrooms were already old and the tremor worsened the condition of the structure.
Gasataya said that he will meet concerned agencies on Friday, Oct. 3, to discuss the matter. He tasked the City Engineer’s Office to check these classrooms and make the necessary assessments and recommendations.
“If there’s a need to repair it, we will do so, but if it’s to be abandoned, then we will provide an allocation for the construction of the classrooms,” the mayor said.
Gasataya said that classes in this highly-urbanized city resumed on Thursday, Oct. 2, after no major damages were observed.
He said that 15 government buildings and 13 bridges were inspected on Wednesday.
No defects were visible on all bridges based on the evaluation of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
Ceballos said that only crack and no major structural damage was observed in government buildings – the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in Barangay Handumanan, Hall of Justice, and City Health Office (CHO).
He said there were existing cracks at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and PhilHealth even before the recent tremor and assessment is necessary to determine if they need repairs. He said that minor cracks can be due to old age of the structures.
Also inspected were three major public markets, two campuses of the Bacolod City College (BCC), another BJMP facility, and the Bacolod City Police Office.
Ceballos said the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) was the first to be inspected and cleared safe for occupancy.
Gasataya said there were two private establishments who sought the help of the city for rapid damage assessment, but due to the limited number of personnel, they were referred to their private engineers. The city is open to provide assistance if necessary, he said.
So far, he said they have not received any report of damage from the private sector.
Meanwhile, Dr. Laarni Pornan, CDRRMO head, said that five people were brought to the emergency room of a hospital after the earthquake due to difficulty in breathing. “It was just minor, and they were discharged later,” she added.
Pornan stressed the significance of earthquake drills and trainings they are conducting quarterly to educate the public and make them aware of what to do during and after an earthquake.
Gasataya advised the public to be vigilant and participative in drills against calamities or natural disasters.

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Bacolod City Magnitude 6.9 earthquake
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