THE Department of Education in Central Visayas (DepEd 7) has requested the Mandaue City Government to conduct another official inspection of public schools that sustained damage following recent incidents that affected several areas in the city.
According to DepEd 7 Director and Division Superintendent Bianito Dagatan, the agency has already sought the assistance of Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano for the inspection to be carried out by the Office of the Building Official (OBO).
“We have already requested Mayor Thadeo Jovito ‘Jonkie’ Ouano for another inspection by the Office of the Building Official so that it becomes official,” Dagatan said.
“Although our source of information comes from the Mandaue City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MCDRRMO), we still need the OBO’s report to validate their observations and ensure that our data is accurate,” he added.
Dagatan said that 16 out of 48 schools in Mandaue City were found to have sustained varying degrees of damage.
Because of this, DepEd 7 is seeking the City Government’s guidance and final decision on the next steps to ensure the safety of students and teachers.
“With the current situation, we really need the guidance of Mayor Ouano,” Dagatan said. “Whatever decision he makes, we will follow. Under the new policy, once face-to-face classes are suspended, we automatically shift to the Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM).”
Dagatan said face-to-face classes had briefly resumed before the damage was reported. However, schools with affected buildings have since adjusted their classroom setups to ensure that learning continues safely.
“Some schools with damaged classrooms have made slight changes in their setups,” he said. “That means some classes will now follow a blended learning approach, where there are certain days for face-to-face classes and other days for ADM.”
He added that DepEd 7 is still waiting for the results of OBO’s upcoming inspection, which will determine if there are additional classrooms that may be unsafe or defective.
“We will see after the OBO’s inspection if there are more classrooms that are defective or if the situation remains the same,” he said.
Dagatan also mentioned that discussions on repairs have yet to begin, pending the local school board meeting scheduled for next week with Ouano.
“As of now, we cannot tell when the repairs will start because we are still set to meet next week with the local school board and the mayor,” he said.
On the national level, Dagatan said their division engineer has already begun preparing a formal report on the extent of damage. However, he clarified that Mandaue City may not be among the top priorities for repair funding, given that other areas such as Bogo City sustained more severe damage.
“This morning, we spoke with our division engineer, who is now preparing a detailed report on the damages,” Dagatan said. “But we cannot assure that we will be prioritized because if our city sustained damages, other areas like Bogo suffered even more.”
Despite this, he assured that DepEd 7 will still submit its official request for assistance in the hopes of receiving a share of the available repair funds.
“Even if we are not prioritized, we will still submit our request and hope that we will be allocated some support,” he said. “Looking at the situation, it would not be appropriate for us to demand to be prioritized, especially since there are areas more severely affected.”
Dagatan said the damaged buildings and classrooms have already been identified, but the engineering office is still in the process of determining the total cost of repairs.
“The affected buildings and classrooms have been identified,” he said. “However, the engineering office is still finalizing the computation for the estimated amount needed for the repair.”
Dagatan reaffirmed DepEd’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all learners and personnel, saying coordination with the City Government will continue until all schools are declared safe and ready for the full resumption of face-to-face classes. (ABC)