MAYOR Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano announced the immediate suspension of all face-to-face classes in both public and private schools in Mandaue City as a safety precaution following the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that shook Cebu Friday morning, October 10, 2025.
The tremor, which struck off Davao Oriental at 9:46 a.m. Friday, prompted Mandaue City officials to initiate a series of safety inspections in schools, markets, and other public facilities to assess potential structural damage.
Ouano said the City immediately acted to ensure the safety of students and employees.
“After the earthquake this morning, October 10, 2025, which hit specifically in Manay, Davao Oriental, we immediately declared that there would be no classes in all levels, both public and private,” he said. “Here in Mandaue City Hall, we will operate under a skeletal workforce so that essential services will continue without interruption in case there are transactions, such as in the Treasurer’s Office.”
The mayor clarified that while most City Hall offices are on limited operations, essential departments such as the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MCDRRMO), the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team), and the City Health Office (CHO) will remain on full duty to respond to any emergency.
“These are essential services,” Ouano said. “We cannot just stop them. After the earthquake, we requested not only the MCDRRMO but also the Office of the Building Official (OBO) and the City Engineering Department to re-inspect the 16 affected schools, as well as other public schools and the market, to ensure safety.”
He added that city officials are aware of the trauma some students experienced during the earthquake.
“We understand that there were reports of students fainting in several schools, and we are on top of it,” he said. “We also received information that a private school had asked students to return to their classrooms after the quake, so we coordinated with the Department of Education (DepEd) to handle the matter and ensure that buildings are inspected before students go back in.”
The City Government has begun continuous inspections to determine the safety of school buildings before resuming classes.
“Right now, our teams are conducting inspections,” Ouano said. “Our plan is that if everything is found safe, we will reopen classes by Monday, October 13, 2025. Parents can rest assured that there are still two days before then, and we will not resume classes unless it is confirmed safe. Of course, we coordinate closely with DepEd and MCDRRMO for that decision.”
Meanwhile, MCDRRMO head Buddy Ybañez confirmed that immediate coordination was made after the tremor.
“Right away, we coordinated with the Office of the Building Official and the City Engineering Office,” Ybañez said. “Our teams immediately conducted inspections, especially on structures that showed visible damage. First, we prioritized the market, then the schools. Out of the 48 schools in Mandaue, 16 were reported to have sustained damage, so these will be prioritized in the inspection.”
At Mandaue City Central School, clinic teacher Jennyvieve Ledama shared that several students experienced panic during the earthquake.
“Some students cried, which is a normal reaction during strong shaking,” she said. “Two Grade 6 students had difficulty breathing and both have a history of panic attacks whenever they get frightened. We immediately provided first aid and helped them relax.”
She added that the school requested assistance from city responders.
“We called for help from the Mandaue City government, and the MCDRRMO assisted us,” Ledama said. “So far, there were no injuries, and we are very thankful for that. Generally, the students were prepared because we regularly conduct earthquake drills. Some children just experienced anxiety, so we focused on calming them and providing immediate action.”
Ledama also mentioned that safety equipment provided by the city was used during the incident.
“The Mandaue City Government had provided hard hats for the students, which they used during the earthquake,” she said. “We were able to calm everyone down. The two Grade 6 students almost lost consciousness, so we called for an ambulance. Even though the ambulances in the city were very busy, they were still able to respond.”
As of Friday afternoon, inspection teams continue to evaluate schools and public buildings throughout Mandaue City. The local government assured residents that no classes will resume until all facilities are declared safe. (ABC)