P358M approved to repair earthquake-damaged schools in northern Cebu

THE government is fast-tracking the repair of schools in northern Cebu that were hit by a major earthquake last year. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon has officially approved P358 million to fix classrooms and get them ready for students before the next school year and the rainy season begin.

Funding the recovery

While the DPWH will handle the actual construction and repairs, the money is coming from the Department of Education (DepEd). This funding is part of a larger effort to rebuild after a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the region on September 30, 2025, damaging thousands of classrooms.

“Just recently, I signed about roughly P358 million for the rehabilitation of the schools in northern Cebu,” Dizon announced on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during a site visit in Naga City.

A massive task ahead

The scale of the damage is significant. According to DepEd 7 Director Salustiano Jimenez, the combined impact of the September earthquake and Typhoon Tino in November has caused an estimated P5.2 billion in damage to local schools.

Reports show that more than 4,600 classrooms were affected by the quake and the many aftershocks that followed. While P358 million has been released now, more funding may be made available later this year to reach other schools in need.

Beating the rainy season

In addition to fixing schools, the DPWH is also working hard to repair roads in northern Cebu. Secretary Dizon said the goal is to finish as much work as possible during the current dry season.

“The challenge now to DPWH 7 is to take advantage of the remaining five months of the dry season so that when the rainy season comes, most of these projects have been completed,” Dizon explained.

Working together

Fixing the province requires different government agencies to team up. Dizon noted that while the DPWH can easily fund road repairs, they must coordinate closely with DepEd for schools and the Department of Health (DOH) for damaged hospitals.

By working together and using the dry weather to their advantage, officials hope to restore safety and normalcy to northern Cebu's students and residents as quickly as possible. (CDF)