CEBU CITY, (PNA) — Education and local government officials on Monday suspended classes in Cebu City and Cebu Province for another two weeks after a series of strong aftershocks Sunday and Monday.
Education officials earlier announced the resumption of classes in public schools in Cebu Monday.
But classes resumed despite the aftershocks Monday in Lapu-Lapu City after Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza assured that all the public schools in the city have been inspected and cleared.
Children were at home for a nationwide religious holiday when a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Bohol, Cebu and other parts of the Visayas and Mindanao at 8:12 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15.
Since then, 2,104 aftershocks have occurred, 27 of them on Sunday.
One at 4:40 a.m. Sunday registered a magnitude of 5.1.
The latest was a 5.3 magnitude aftershock at 7:03 a.m. Monday.
Cebu Provincial Superintendent Arden Monisit said Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III decided to suspend classes for another two weeks because of the strong aftershocks which may further cause damage on school buildings which already sustained damage in the Oct. 15 earthquake.
Classes in all public schools will resume on November 4 in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Talisay and in towns under the Cebu Provincial Government.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama also announced that classes at all levels in both public and private schools in Cebu City will remain suspended.
It is up to administrators of private schools to decide when classes can resume, but local and Department of Education officials asked them to make sure their buildings are safe.
There are 1,122 public elementary and high schools under the Cebu Province Division.
Monisit said 78 schools reported badly damaged classrooms after the 7.2-magnitude earthquake last October 15.
The earthquake damaged 273 classrooms.
Dr. Carmelita Dulangon, Department of Education (Deped)-Central Visayas director, revealed that the Bogo City Government had originally decided to resume classes Monday because their public and private schools incurred only minor damage during the quake.
But the officials decided to suspend classes until Wednesday due to the aftershocks, she said.