THE Department of Education (DepEd) released on Tuesday an updated list of schools near the West and East Valley fault lines.
Thirteen more schools – eight private and five public schools – are either traversed by the east and west valley fault lines or located in the five-meter buffer zone, the DepEd said.
These schools are the Ateneo de Manila University grade school building and Filinvest II Ideal Montessori Center in Quezon City; Mapua Muntinlupa Institute of Technology, Our Lady of the Abandoned Catholic School and Affordable Private Education Center in Muntinlupa City; Army's Angels Integrated School and Sto. Niño Catholic School in Taguig City; and St. Therese of the Child Jesus in San Pedro, Laguna.
On the other hand, Macabud National High School, Tagumpay Elementary and National High schools, Mascap Elementary and National High schools, all in Rodriguez, Rizal are located in the buffer zone.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro advised the administrators of the listed schools not to use the buildings, which are transected by the fault line, or have them retrofitted to withstand a powerful quake.
Earlier, Barangka National High School in Marikina, Buli Elementary School, Alabang Elementary School and Pedro Diaz High School in Muntinlupa, Anne Claire Montessori in Taguig and Karamuhe Elementary School in San Jose Del Monte Bulacan were included in the same list.
Luistro added the DepEd with the help of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is continuously working on the identification of the schools located along or near the fault lines.
"What is important for us here in DepEd is to get the right information. It is critical. We have tasked our principals not to base it by looking at a map. We want the information validated by Phivolcs," Luistro said. (Sunnex)