Classes in Munti schools on fault line to start Monday
Classes in two of the three Muntinlupa schools transected by the West Valley Fault will open on Monday while the other will start a week later, the city government said.
The Muntinlupa City government said the Department of Education announced that classes will start on Monday at Pedro E. Diaz High School, which has more than 6,000 students, but five of its 11 buildings will no longer be used and would be off-limits for safety reasons as these are affected by the fault line.
DepEd Sec. Armin Luistro inspected last May 28 Pedro E. Diaz High School, Alabang Elementary School and Buli Elementary School which have been identified by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) as being on potentially deadly fault line.
According to Public Information Office chief Tez ValenciaNavarro, the city government has already transferred affected students to other school buildings away from the fault zones.
Three school buildings at Buli Elementary School have been found to be sitting on top of the fault line, prompting officials to prohibit these from being used as classrooms. The school has about 1,700 students.
Noel Bagano, DepEd Muntinlupa assistant schools division superintendent, told Manila Bulletin that a two-story, 19classroom building at the Alabang Elementary School was demolished last September as recommended by authorities. The public elementary school has more than 6,000 students.
On June 1, PHIVOLCS Director Dr. Renato Solidum will have a dialogue with Mayor Jaime Fresnedi, Muntinlupa Rep. Rodolfo Biazon, barangay officials, and residents affected by the fault system at the Muntinlupa City Hall.
Meanwhile, the Muntinlupa City government distributed notebooks, writing pads, bags, pencils and school uniforms to students of 20 elementary schools in the city.
For the opening of classes, the Muntinlupa Traffic Management Bureau will coordinate with barangays on the “Oplan Alis Sagabal” which aims to tow illegally parked vehicles on secondary roads in the city.
MTMB’s “Oplan Alis Sagabal” hopes to decongest traffic along the Muntinlupa National Road, which has worsened due to drainage system and road repairs.