Dumaguete city: The Department of Education (DepEd)-Dumaguete City Division announced Wednesday afternoon that all elementary and secondary schools in this capital city are safe following a post-earthquake inspection. Dr. Juditha Mapue, DepEd-Dumaguete assistant division superintendent, told the Philippine News Agency that immediately after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook the Visayas on Tuesday evening, classes were suspended the next day to ensure the safety of learners and teachers.

According to Philippines News Agency, the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) was requested to inspect the different schools in the city to determine the structural integrity of the buildings and other facilities before allowing the resumption of classes. Dr. Mapue stated that 18 elementary schools and eight senior high schools were inspected, and the CEO declared all of them safe by Wednesday noon. The DepEd city division also announced that classes would resume, although Mapue mentioned they do not expect full attendance in the afternoon. She noted that the learners shifted to modular learning as the DepEd had prepared for this kind of emergency.

Meanwhile, academic institutions in the area also took the initiative to cancel classes at all levels after the tremor shook many parts of Negros Oriental, while heavy rains triggered flooding in the capital city. Among those were Silliman University, Negros Oriental State University, St. Paul University, and Colegio de Sta. Catalina de Alejandria, along with the local government units of Sibulan and Tanjay City, which also declared the suspension of classes. The temblor, with its epicenter in Bogo, Cebu, just across Negros Island, was felt at Intensities III, IV, and V in different parts of the province. So far, there have been no reports of significant damage to buildings, structures, or individuals.