Bacolod city: The majority of the 49 public schools inspected in this city have no structural threats or have only minor issues, based on the results of the rapid damage assessment and needs analysis (RDANA) conducted in the past two days.
According to Philippines News Agency, the color-tagging system developed by the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) and the Department of Education (DepEd) showed 38 schools were classified under the green category, which means no structural threats or with minor issues only. Seven schools were placed under the yellow category, indicating they are safe for partial occupancy but require repairs, while four schools need further inspection and assessment. None of the schools were listed under the red category or unsafe for occupancy.
Mayor Greg Gasataya lifted the suspension of classes in all public schools on Wednesday, after face-to-face instructions were canceled on Monday and Tuesday to allow for inspections ensuring the safety and structural integrity of public school facilities in the city. The series of strong earthquakes in the Visayas and Mindanao in the past two weeks was felt in Bacolod with varying intensities.
“We have decided to conduct annual inspections not just for classrooms but for all government facilities to ensure the integrity of public infrastructure,” the mayor stated. Gasataya encouraged Bacolodnons to report any visible damage to school buildings or other public structures for proper assessment and action.
CEO officer in charge, engineer Loben Ceballos, mentioned that the list under the color-tagging system would serve as the city’s database to guide future planning and development toward building safer school facilities. Findings from the five inspection teams indicated that some of the observed defects were old damage in the structures that may have been aggravated by the recent earthquakes. The composite teams comprised personnel from the CEO, DepEd-Division of Bacolod City, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and Office of the Building Official.