Classes in Makilala town remain suspended

KIDAPAWAN CITY – Classes in all levels – both private and public – in Makilala, North Cotabato remain suspended this week.

Makilala municipal administrator and spokesperson Sherry Orbita said Mayor Armando Quibod has ordered the extension of class suspension as the town continues to experience aftershocks and many school grounds are still being used as evacuation centers.

“One-week suspension starting today, Monday,” Orbita said, adding that school children are being given psychosocial intervention.

Aside from Makilala, classes in three villages in Tulunan, North Cotabato also remain suspended.

These are in the villages of Daig, Magbok, and Paraiso where school buildings have collapsed or seriously damaged.

In other parts of North Cotabato, the Department of Education has ordered the resumption of classes in 42 of 73 affected public schools in the province. Provincial Board Member Jeomar Cerebo, the spokesman of North Cotabato’s Incident Command Center, said at least 19 persons died in the series of earthquakes that hit the province last month.

Aside from North Cotabato, three quake fatalities were also recorded in Davao del Sur, two in South Cotabato, and one in Sultan Kudarat.

Dangerous

At least 41 families living in different areas of Davao City have been advised to evacuate due to the danger of landslides.

The call came after a Davao City government housing team validated that the ground structures in five areas of the city had weakened following the series of earthquakes during the past weeks.

It said the validation in the two areas – Juario Village in Maa and DDF Village-Phase 5 in Mandug – has been completed. The validation team has initially identified 41 families – 15 in DDF Village and Juario Village as being at risk.

The other areas, namely the Old Smokey Mountain along Carlos P. Garcia Highway or Diversion Road in Matina Pangi; Purok Damayan in Barangay Buhangin; and Purok 5 in Barangay Baganihan in Marilog are still being checked.

Davao City Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) chief Alfredo Baloran said the five areas were identified as danger zones after the series of earthquakes in the city.

“These areas are identified to be very susceptible to landslides. We recommended the immediate evacuation of the residents in the area to avoid any risks,” Baloran said. (With a report from Ivy Tejano)