MEMBER schools of the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi) have been cleared to resume in-person classes starting Monday, November 3, 2025, after structural inspections confirmed that their buildings remain safe following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake last September 30 and the subsequent aftershocks in Cebu.
Structural engineers from each institution, in coordination with the Office of the Building Official, inspected and certified all school buildings as safe for occupancy.
In a meeting held Tuesday night, October 28, Cesafi school heads, led by its president and University of Cebu owner Augusto Go, agreed to a staggered reopening between November 3 and November 10 to allow ongoing repairs and safety preparations.
Resumption dates
The schools, colleges and universities that have confirmed their dates are as follows:
Sacred Heart School–Ateneo de Cebu: November 3
Don Bosco Technical College: November 3
University of San Jose–Recoletos: November 4
University of the Philippines Cebu: November 6
University of San Carlos: November 10
University of the Visayas: November 10
University of Cebu: November 10
The University of Southern Philippines Foundation, meanwhile, has yet to announce its schedule for the resumption of in-person classes.
Several member institutions, including Cebu Institute of Technology-University, Cebu Doctors’ University and Velez College, reopened earlier this month after completing safety inspections.
According to Cesafi, the cracks found in several facilities were only superficial and did not pose any structural threat. Minor repairs are ongoing where needed to ensure classroom readiness.
Cesafi said the inspections and staggered reopening schedules were implemented to ensure the safety and preparedness of each institution following the recent earthquakes that affected Cebu and nearby provinces.
The majority of the schools, colleges, and universities had suspended in-person classes and shifted to asynchronous learning after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck off the coast of Bogo City on September 30.
Member schools have also adopted a more lenient policy for students and faculty members affected by the earthquakes, allowing flexibility in attendance and academic requirements.
Through their respective guidance counseling offices, schools have offered emotional intervention and debriefing sessions to students, teaching, and non-teaching personnel affected by the earthquake.
Cesafi currently has 16 member schools, most of which are located in Cebu City and Mandaue City, including Benedicto College, Cebu Eastern College, and Southwestern University–Phinma.
Member schools outside Metro Cebu, such as Cebu Roosevelt Memorial Colleges and Felipe R. Verallo Foundation College in Bogo City, have yet to announce the resumption of in-person classes.
Students' voices
While many students welcomed the return of in-person classes, others expressed anxiety over potential aftershocks.
“The earthquake is unpredictable. It’s not good to keep on waiting without classes,” said Ann, an accountancy major from the University of Cebu–Banilad.
She said college students are responsible and capable of managing themselves during an earthquake. She also noted that there are no longer any aftershocks.
Mae, a psychology major at the University of San Carlos, supports the reopening of classes. However, she said that witnessing any damage could lead her to reconsider her stance.
Veejay Catadman, a third-year communication major at the University of the Philippines Cebu, believes that a gradual shift back to in-person classes is reasonable.
He said that as long as the buildings are structurally safe and the university facilities meet the necessary standards, he supports the reopening. UP Cebu has already received directives confirming that its buildings are safe for occupancy.
He emphasized that the nature and requirements of his major must be grounded in practical experience due to fieldwork and production activities.
However, Kharylle Arapol, a fourth-year nursing student in Cebu, opposes the resumption of in-person classes. She said it is difficult to concentrate on studies when everyone fears the possibility of another earthquake.
“It’s scary and unsafe, especially for students like me who are away from our families,” she said. (EHP/Bryce Ken Abellon, USJ-R intern)