Photo courtesy of Photo from PDRRMO- EOC.
Classes in parts of Iloilo moved to alternative learning after a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck the province Monday evening, prompting checks on the condition of school buildings.
The Department of Education Western Visayas said 125 schools adopted the Alternative Delivery Mode to allow authorities to conduct safety assessments of facilities.
As of Tuesday morning, the regional office reported that more than 74,000 learners from Iloilo City and the province were affected by class suspensions ordered by local government units.
Data showed that schools in Tubungan, Oton, Tigbauan, Guimbal, and Iloilo City accounted for the bulk of those shifting to alternative learning, including Iloilo National High School.
Provincial officials said an initial inspection of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol found no structural damage, with engineers declaring the building safe following a rapid visual assessment.
Disaster officials reminded Capitol employees to observe safety procedures in case of aftershocks, including automatic work suspension during earthquakes and immediate evacuation for building inspections.
City authorities also reported no major structural damage in public markets, condominiums, and business process outsourcing facilities based on initial assessments.
The Iloilo Emergency Operations Center said residents experienced strong ground shaking, particularly in mid- and high-rise buildings, with reports of minor cracks and swaying objects.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the quake’s epicenter was in Guimbal, with Intensity IV felt in several Iloilo towns and the city, and weaker shaking recorded in parts of Antique and Negros Occidental.
