The Department of Education (DepEd) has cleared the majority of public schools in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) to resume in-person classes after a prolonged suspension caused by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit Mindanao on June 8, 2026. The decision comes as local governments and school administrators complete safety inspections of damaged school facilities across the region.
The powerful earthquake, one of the strongest to strike the southern Philippines in recent years, caused widespread damage in Koronadal City, General Santos City, and surrounding provinces. Hundreds of school buildings sustained varying degrees of damage, forcing DepEd to suspend all on-site classes in the affected areas as a precautionary measure on the first day of the school year.
After more than a week of structural assessments and repairs, DepEd announced that most schools in Region 12 have been certified safe for the resumption of face-to-face classes. Schools that passed engineering inspections have been given the green light to welcome students back to their classrooms.
“We have worked closely with engineers, local government units, and school officials to ensure that our school buildings are structurally sound before we allow students and teachers to return,” a DepEd Region 12 official stated. “The safety of our learners remains our top priority.”
However, not all areas in the region are resuming classes just yet. The provincial government of Sarangani has extended the suspension of on-site classes until June 30, 2026, citing ongoing aftershocks and the need for further structural assessments in the province, which was closest to the earthquake’s epicenter. Sarangani experienced significant damage to infrastructure, and some schools remain unsafe for occupancy.
In Koronadal City, the regional hub of Soccsksargen, most public schools have already resumed operations. Local officials have expressed relief at the resumption, noting that prolonged class disruptions pose a significant setback to the education of thousands of students in the city and surrounding municipalities.
The class resumption is being supported by several government agencies. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) earlier mobilized 5,000 workers under the TUPAD (Tulong Pagkabuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers) program to assist with school clean-up and repair activities as part of the annual Brigada Eskwela initiative.
Parents and guardians are advised to check with their children’s respective schools for specific schedules and any temporary arrangements, as some institutions may continue to implement blended learning methods while repairs are ongoing. DepEd has assured the public that alternative learning modalities, including modular and online instruction, remain available for students in areas where schools are not yet ready for full resumption.
The June 8 earthquake serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of school infrastructure in seismically active regions of the Philippines. Education advocates have renewed calls for stronger building codes and regular structural assessments for public schools in disaster-prone areas.