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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DepEd accelerates school repairs: P139.4M released for Masbate; Cebu and Davao underway

DepEd accelerates school repairs: P139.4M released for Masbate; Cebu and Davao underway

Published Oct 11, 2025 02:23 pm
The Department of Education (DepEd) fast-tracks repairs for schools affected by typhoons and earthquakes, releasing P139.4M for Masbate schools, while damage assessments continue in Cebu and Davao Oriental to ensure learner and teacher safety. (Manila Bulletin / file)
The Department of Education (DepEd) fast-tracks repairs for schools affected by typhoons and earthquakes, releasing P139.4M for Masbate schools, while damage assessments continue in Cebu and Davao Oriental to ensure learner and teacher safety. (Manila Bulletin / file)
The Department of Education (DepEd) on Saturday, October 11, said it is fast-tracking repairs and relief for schools affected by recent calamities, with P139.4 million already released for typhoon-hit schools in Masbate, while damage assessments continue in Cebu and Davao Oriental.
Following President Marcos’ directive for immediate action, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara joined national officials in Davao Oriental to assess the impact of the 7.6-magnitude offshore earthquake and oversee DepEd’s rapid response operations.
Angara highlighted that the release of DepEd’s Quick Response Funds (QRF), which previously took up to two years, has now been frontloaded and accelerated to provide timely assistance to schools affected by typhoons and earthquakes.
“Hindi na puwedeng maghintay pa ng dalawang taon bago dumating ang tulong (We can’t afford to wait another two years before help arrives),” Angara said.
“Kapag nasira ang paaralan, dapat mabilis ang aksyon, dahil bawat araw na nasasayang ay isang araw na hindi nakakapag-aral ang mga bata (When a school is damaged, action must be swift, because every day lost is a day children are unable to study),” he added.
Continued monitoring
Based on its latest situation report, DepEd data showed that 1,006 schools were affected by the magnitude 7.4 quake that struck offshore near Manay, Davao Oriental, on October 10.
The earthquake impacted around 100,000 learners and 10,000 teachers nationwide. Among those affected, 139 learners and 50 teachers sustained injuries.
To ensure safety, DepEd said 97 percent of affected schools suspended classes to allow for structural inspections. Initial assessments indicated that 575 schools sustained varying degrees of damage, with estimated repair costs reaching P2.23 billion.
DepEd’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS), engineers, and DRR coordinators are conducting rapid site inspections in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local governments.
Stronger capacity
As DepEd continues to monitor the impact of the recent disaster, Angara stressed the need to strengthen DepEd’s internal engineering capacity to support national and local efforts for faster recovery.
“Mayroon tayong 472 engineers sa buong bansa, at kailangan pa nating palawakin ang bilang at kakayahan nila (We have 472 engineers across the country, and we still need to expand both their number and capabilities),” Angara said.
“Kasama ang DPWH at mga lokal na pamahalaan, gusto nating bumuo ng isang mas mabilis, mas matatag, at mas maaasahang sistema ng pagtugon (Together with the DPWH and local governments, we aim to build a faster, more resilient, and more reliable response system),” he added.
Meanwhile, Angara reaffirmed DepEd’s commitment to ensuring the safety of learners and teachers while maintaining continuity of education even during disasters.
“Our goal is simple: when disaster strikes, help should already be on the way,” he added.
RELATED STORY: 
https://mb.com.ph/2025/10/11/p22b-in-damages-575-schools-affected-by-magnitude-74-davao-oriental-quake-deped

Related Tags

DepEd DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara school repairs Quick Response Fund (QRF) DepEd disaster response disaster-affected schools School safety Philippines
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