THE DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) XI is prioritizing structural safety over a hasty return to classrooms, declaring that it “will not gamble the lives” of the region’s estimated 1.5 million learners following the massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake that shook Mindanao.
In an exclusive interview with TIMES, DepEd XI spokesperson Jenielito Atillo revealed that while there are currently no verified reports of active school buildings being destroyed, government engineers are carrying out rapid structural assessments.
Atillo told the TIMES on Tuesday, June 9, that classes remain suspended across the region while inspections are underway.
The Matanao NHS viral video
Addressing a viral social media video showing a building collapse at Matanao National High School in Davao del Sur, Atillo clarified that the structure was not an active facility.
“I want to clarify that the part of the building that collapsed is not part of an active facility,” Atillo stated. “It is a very old building that was already condemned because it was heavily dilapidated and had been compromised by earthquakes in previous years.”
He added that the structure had been strictly cordoned off long before it finally gave way during Monday’s intense shaking.
Student safety and localized suspensions
Regarding casualties within school grounds during the initial tremor, Atillo confirmed that no major injuries were reported.
“There are no injuries recorded among students. While we recorded some who lost consciousness, they were managed well because every school has Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) personnel headed by teachers and students. We also saw an immediate response from barangay officials who quickly deployed their rescue teams,” Atillo said.
“We do not consider it a major crisis because the response for our children was immediate and swift,” he added.
DepEd XI comprises 11 schools division offices spanning from Davao Occidental to Davao Oriental.
Atillo emphasized that localized divisions and LGUs are in the best position to assess immediate ground effects and declare class suspensions under existing policies like Executive Order No. 66.
“The LGUs have the immediate and swift capability to determine the current situation in their areas because they have the human resources on the ground,” Atillo explained. “We work under that arrangement because if the declaration comes solely from the regional office, it might not be timely. It is more appropriate to get data from the ground first.”
New school calendar unaffected
The tremor struck on the opening day of School Year 2026–2027, which marks the implementation of the country’s new three-term school calendar. However, Atillo assured the public that the core learning timeline has not been severely set back.
“This week is an orientation week—a time to organize classes and determine who will be included in the school feeding program. Formal lecture classes are scheduled to begin next week,” Atillo explained.
Despite the temporary suspension of physical lectures, Atillo reminded parents and teachers that student attendance tracking officially commenced on Monday.
DepEd XI advises all school communities to stay tuned to their respective LGUs for official announcements regarding when it is safe to resume on-campus activities.
