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The three powerful earthquakes that hit the Visayas and Mindanao in a span of 10 days have added another layer to the country’s severe classroom shortage and, in a bigger context, the Filipino children’s learning crisis.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit northern Cebu on Sept. 30 has totally damaged 1,187 schools, while 5,587 classrooms sustained minor damage and 803 others suffered major destruction. Last Friday’s magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 quakes that happened hours apart also damaged structures, including school buildings. Based on preliminary damage assessments, 1,164 classrooms sustained minor damage, 255 were moderately damaged, and 376 were completely destroyed.

These were only from the earthquakes. Last month’s Typhoon ‘Opong’ totally damaged 312 classrooms while 1,101 others recorded minor damage, affecting about 13 million learners nationwide.

The Philippines already has a backlog of more than 165,000 classrooms nationwide, and these recent disasters only exacerbate the problem. It also demonstrates the substandard quality of school buildings that, if unchecked, could put at risk the lives of thousands of learners and school personnel.

Save the Children Philippines reported that 2.7 million children, or 10 percent of the country’s student population, were still unable to return to school a week after the Cebu earthquake.

Post-disaster trauma

Many of the children were scared to go back to their classrooms because of the aftershocks, fearing that they might end up being trapped if their school building collapsed in the event of another strong temblor. This disruption in the students’ daily lives could only worsen the learning crisis because they lose valuable learning time and must also deal with post-disaster trauma.

Last month, Education Secretary Sonny Angara revealed that more than 1,000 classrooms that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) turned over to the Department of Education (DepEd) were not completed.

It is of small consolation that, per Angara, these were not exactly ‘ghost’ projects-only unfinished ones. But they might as well have been nonexistent projects because these incomplete classrooms were not painted and did not have electricity, making them useless.

This revelation shows that corruption in public works has not been limited to flood control and farm-to-market road projects, but has also extended even to institutions for learning-places where students are also supposed to learn values such as honesty and integrity that shape them to be better citizens.

Disaster-proof classrooms

This classroom crisis also brings to mind the staggering P612.5 million in confidential funds that Vice President Sara Duterte has yet to account for when she was education secretary-money that could have funded the purchase of textbooks and other education materials, salaries of teachers, even hygiene or modular kits that students can use during emergencies, and building sturdier, disaster-proof classrooms.

The DepEd estimated that only 4,000 new classrooms can be built each year, given the slow pace of the DPWH when it comes to the construction of school buildings. The government needs P413 billion to address this shortage, or from P10 billion to P14.8 billion annually, with each DPWH-implemented classroom costing between P2.5 million and P3.7 million.

To put things in perspective, the P118.5 billion allegedly lost to anomalous flood control projects from 2023 to 2025 could have already funded a third of the classroom shortage. Even Duterte’s intelligence funds could already have built 165 classrooms.

The classroom shortage problem has forced many schools to implement double or triple shifts, with some classes being held in makeshift or open-air rooms-not exactly conducive learning environments.

55 years

According to Angara, it would take 55 years to completely resolve the backlog, which has been caused by several factors, including rapid population growth, aging infrastructure, decades-long underinvestment in basic education facilities, on top of the destruction caused by calamities.

If there is one good thing that came out of the DPWH corruption scandal, it is the realignment of funds, with the education sector gaining P26 billion to build more classrooms.

The DepEd, however, must ensure that these funds will not go into the pockets of corrupt government officials and contractors. Angara must also report on the results of an audit that he had ordered on the heels of the incomplete classrooms issue. He should not stop at determining how many classrooms were lost to corruption, but also who should be held accountable and charge them in the court of law. Corruption is a crime that deprives Filipinos many of their rights, including the right to quality education. Every time a school building is not built or a substandard classroom is destroyed, there is a student out there who loses an opportunity for a better life with an education that could have been their ticket to overcome social inequalities.

An official of the Department of Transportation (DOTr) has been asked to explain the use of a vehicle with unauthorized blinkers and protocol plate ’10,’ the agency said on Sunday.

In a statement, the agency said acting Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez ordered DOTr Undersecretary for Special Concerns Ricky Alfonso to explain the act.

The agency noted that the Land Transportation Office (LTO) found that the gray Lexus LX750 was not registered to use the plate number.

The Executive Order No. 56, issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last April, provides the designation of the plate number for the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals, Court of Tax Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Solicitors General.

Marcos’ Administrative Order No. 18 prohibits government officials and personnel from using sirens, blinkers, and other flashing devices. However, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, the Philippine National Police, fire trucks, hospital ambulances, and other emergency vehicles are exempted from this order.

Meanwhile, the LTO also issued a show-cause order to the driver of the Lexus vehicle in line with a reported incident on October 8.

The order cited the police report stating that the vehicle was involved in an incident resulting in an injury.

In a separate statement, the LTO said that ‘the incident showed Alfonso’s driver and security aide confronting and allegedly slapping the driver of an Isuzu multicab after a traffic altercation.’

With this, the driver and owner of the vehicle is tasked to submit an explanation on ‘why the driver should not be administratively charged for Reckless Driving, Motor vehicle operating without or with defective/improper/unauthorized accessories, devices, equipment, and parts’ and why the driver’s license should not be suspended for being an Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle.

The LTO also said that the license of the driver has been preventively suspended for 90 days and is directed to surrender the said license. Aside from this, the vehicle will be placed under alarm to prevent any transactions amid pending investigations. ‘The use of blinkers, sirens, and protocol plates is strictly regulated under existing laws and administrative orders. We will not tolerate any misuse of these privileges, especially by individuals who should serve as examples to the public,’ LTO Assistant Secretary Markus Lacanilao said in a statement.

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck a town in Davao Oriental on Sunday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

In its earthquake bulletin, Phivolcs said that this is an aftershock of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that hit waters off the coast of Manay in Davao Oriental last Friday.

Phivolcs noted that the center of the aftershock was located 52 kilometers east of Manay town at 5:04 a.m.

It was tectonic in origin and had a depth of 24 kilometers.

Phivolcs noted that no damage to properties and aftershocks are expected from this tremor.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Saturday said that the magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes, which are tagged as ‘doublet earthquakes’ that jolted the town, affected a total of 74,649 families or 91,224 persons.

Repair costs on schools heavily damaged by the recent earthquake and aftershocks in Davao Oriental had already reached P2.23 billion, the Department of Education (DepEd) announced on Saturday as it hastened assistance to schools damaged by earthquakes and typhoons across the country.

The initial visual assessments by the DepEd showed that 575 schools had ‘varying degrees of damage’ and that P2.23 billion was already the estimated repair costs, the DepEd said, citing its disaster risk reduction and management service.

A total of 1,006 schools have been affected by the 7.4-magnitude earthquake near Manay, Davao Oriental, as of Friday, according to Education Secretary Sonny Angara. This impacted around 100,000 learners and 10,000 teachers in various regions.

Angara said the DepEd has already released P139.4 million in assistance for the repairs on schools damaged by the recent Typhoon ‘Opong’ (international name: Bualoi) in Masbate.

As for the schools damaged by the spate of earthquakes in Cebu and Davao Oriental, Angara said that validation and damage assessments were still ongoing.

‘We can no longer wait for another two years before help arrives,’ Angara said.

He said the DepEd has already tapped the Department of Public Works and Highways and all concerned local government units for the assessments on the quake-affected areas.

The European Union (EU) has released pound 750,000, or about P50.52 million, in humanitarian aid to assist victims of the earthquake that struck Cebu on Sept. 30.

In a statement, the EU said the funds would provide emergency relief such as temporary shelter, water, sanitation and cash assistance to displaced families.

Part of the aid will be implemented through the Philippine Red Cross under the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ Disaster Response Emergency Fund. This latest allocation adds to the pound 7.3 million in humanitarian aid and disaster preparedness it has already allocated to the Philippines this year, including funds for communities affected by tropical cyclones in July and September. /cb

Mars Alba was grateful for Akari’s trust after playing a vital role in the Chargers’ win over Creamline in the PVL Reinforced Conference on Saturday.

Given the keys to run coach Tina Salak’s system, Alba dished out 21 excellent sets in her official Akari debut that also marked the Chargers’ first-ever victory over the Cool Smashers since entering the league in 2022.

‘I’m really grateful that the coaches and my teammates trusted me. It hasn’t been an easy transition since I’m new to the team,’ Alba said in Filipino. ‘I really had to study coach’s system. There’s still a lot to work on, but I’m thankful because the coaches never get tired of reminding and teaching me.’

Behind Alba’s steady playmaking, Annie Mitchem unleashed 33 points in the 23-25, 25-23, 30-28, 23-25, 15-12 win at Dasmariñas Arena.

The former La Salle stalwart, who transferred from Choco Mucho to Akari last June, was also trying different variations of plays and attempting for timely spikes that are all part of Salak’s system.

‘We practice that during training, and in the game, we really just trusted the coaches’ system. When we follow it, the game flows much better. It’s all about the trust in each other,’ said Alba.

After a solid first game, Alba promises to continue to leave everything on the floor for the Chargers.

‘For me, I just give whatever I can to help the team. I give my best,’ she said. ‘I’m happy that, somehow, the team responds to the way I try to lead on the court. And I’m really proud because we didn’t give up out there. You could really see the team’s heart and everyone’s character showing through.’

Akari seeks to keep its momentum going against Chery Tiggo on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rakuten Viber, the company behind the popular calling and messaging app, seeks to further expand its footprint in the Philippines, which has been a driving force in shaping its global strategy over recent years.

Cristina Constandache, chief revenue officer at Rakuten Viber, says the ‘ultimate goal’ is to increase both its market share and penetration by introducing new features and improving existing ones.

‘We want to strengthen the position in the Philippines and the adoption, and we want to make sure that we answer real consumer needs in Philippines, first and foremost, and then we look at what can be adapted to the rest of Southeast Asia,’ Constandache tells the Inquirer in an interview.

Constandache says the Philippines presents a unique opportunity for the company to scale up its business, given Viber’s strong market presence and the country’s economy that continues to grow despite internal and external challenges.

‘It’s a country that, over the years, has shown tremendous growth to this day. Despite the high penetration, we are still experiencing a double-digit growth year over year,’ Constandache says.

Constandache says Southeast Asia is a ‘very dynamic’ economy, and the Philippines is aligned with Rakuten Viber’s business intent to drive digitalization for small and medium businesses.

Being a business-centric country offers Rakuten Viber the incentive to create solutions catering to the needs of entrepreneurs, including the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which account for 99.63 percent of establishments nationwide, based on government data.

‘We know out of the economies in the region, the Philippines is heavily reliant on platforms like Viber to help entrepreneurs grow. It’s, however, a trend that we are not seeing in the rest of the world as much,’ she adds.

Enhancements

The company executive describes the Philippines as an important market for Rakuten Viber, ranking it among the firm’s top global markets in both business growth and goals, and serving as a testing ground for new services.

‘Everything that we are launching or the products that we are considering are considered first and foremost with the Philippines in mind when it comes to Southeast Asia. After that, depending on the adoption of these products and services, we are considering how to take them out of Asia,’ she says.

As such, Rakuten Viber will continue enhancing products already in the platform, including Viber Marketplace or Viber Business Plus and Viber Ads Manager, which have shown ‘very good traction’ since their launch.

Viber Marketplace or Viber Business Plus enables users to easily find and quickly connect with thousands of local businesses.

To date, it has recorded more than 2 million interactions, which, according to Constandache, is considered a ‘huge success’ even if it was only launched in September.

Self-service

On the other hand, Viber Ads Manager is a self-service advertising platform enabling small and medium agencies and advertisers in the country to independently run ad campaigns in target markets.

Viber Ads Manager, meanwhile, has reported triple-digit growth since its inception in July.

She says, ‘The numbers overall remain low because the product is one month old, but it has been amazing-it had amazing uptake in a very short period of time.’

Rakuten Viber has lined up various product improvements between the fourth quarter of this year and the first quarter of next year, particularly for marketplace, to ensure ‘the search results are as relevant as they can be,’ she says.

In parallel, Rakuten Viber is working on launching Viber Pay in the country, which remains a top strategic priority for the firm despite rollout delays due to circumstances beyond their control.

‘While it hasn’t theoretically moved from last time due to legislation and the fact that we need to fine-tune the product in order to meet all the changing financial regulations, it is very much imagined to enhance the products for SMEs,’ she says. ‘It remains a key initiative of the company,’ she adds. INQ

The City of Marikina declared class suspensions for Monday and Tuesday for all schools in the city, both public and private, due to an increase in cases of flu or flu-like illnesses.

‘As a precautionary measure against the increase in cases of flu and flu-like illnesses reported by schools in Marikina and in accordance with the recommendation of the City Health Office, we will have a two-day Health Break at all levels in public and private schools starting tomorrow, Monday, October 13 to Tuesday, October 14, 2025,’ Marikina Mayor Maan Teodoro, speaking in Filipino, said in a statement on Monday.

According to the Marikina government, this is a ‘preemptive measure’ to ensure the safety and welfare of students, teachers and school staff.

During the two-day health break, a general cleaning and disinfection of schools will be done, the local government said.

It also advised Marikina residents to take precautionary measures such as resting or visiting a doctor when flu-symptoms persist.

Some universities in Manila have also reported a spike in flu cases.

Adamson University conducted a deep cleaning of the campus last Friday, and classes for all levels will shift online on October 13.

‘Additionally, due to the recent increase in flu cases, online classes for all levels previously scheduled for the week of October 13-17, 2025, will be moved to Monday, October 13, 2025. All offices will resume normal operations on Monday, October 13, 2025,’ the school’s advisory read.

National University (NU) Fairview also limited online classes on Friday, citing the rise in the number of influenza-like illness cases in Quezon City.

The university also implemented a ‘no face mask, no entry’ policy as a precautionary measure.

In the past week, the University of Sto. Tomas implemented a three-day health break for junior high school students, while San Beda Alabang held a two-day health break for elementary and high school students. Both schools also recorded an increase in flu cases among their students and faculty.

Over 125,000 families were affected by the ‘doublet earthquake’ that struck Davao Oriental last Friday, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Sunday.

In its 6 a.m. report, the NDRRMC said that a total of 125,283 families or 491,258 people were affected. Of this figure, 1,939 families or 8,440 persons were served inside 14 evacuation centers (ECs) while 52 families or 192 individuals were served outside ECs.

The NDRRMC also noted that of this figure, 66,366 families or 280,868 individuals came from the Davao Region while 58,917 families or 210,390 were from Caraga Region.

Aside from this, the agency reported that eight fatalities and 100 injuries were up for validation. Meanwhile, 295 injuries have already been validated.

The earthquakes also damaged a total of 2,155 houses in Davao Region and Caraga Region. The agency estimated P100,258,000 cost from 273 damaged infrastructures in both regions.

A total of P26,502,565.88 worth of assistance had been provided to a total of 70676 families from both regions.

Meanwhile, in a press conference on Saturday, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian assured the affected residents of assistance such as food packs and temporary shelters.

Gatchalian said that the agency has more than 100,000 boxes of family food packs across various warehouses in Davao Region. Aside from this, he added that he discussed with Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon the establishment of temporary shelters in affected areas.

‘He coordinated with the Philippine Red Cross and the agency and Red Cross will help in building temporary shelters for the families whose houses were damaged and are in need of temporary shelters,’ Gatchalian said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) previously said that the magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes that struck off Davao Oriental may be considered a ‘doublet earthquake.’

Phivolcs explained that a ‘doublet earthquake’ refers to distinct or different earthquakes that occurred in almost the same area ‘with two (or more) main shocks that have slight difference in magnitude.’ The epicenter of the magnitude 7.4 earthquake was located 62 kilometers southeast of Manay in Davao Oriental at 9:43 a.m. while the magnitude 6.9 earthquake was traced 36 kilometers southeast of the same town at 7:12 p.m. last Friday.

Jungkook of BTS rewrote K-pop history with his solo album, which sold 3 million copies, label Big Hit Music announced Friday, citing a local tally.

‘Golden’ is the first album from a Korean solo artist to achieve the feat. Released in November 2023, it sold more than 2.4 million copies in its first week and 1 million in the first three hours, shattering previous K-pop solo act records.

The album debuted on the Billboard 200 chart at No. 2 and went on to spend a total of 25 weeks on the main albums chart, the longest run for an Asian solo singer.

Meanwhile, Jimin reached 300 million streams on Spotify with ‘Be Mine,’ a B-side track from his second solo album, ‘Muse.’ This is the seventh time he has achieved the feat with a solo release.

Lawmakers from Eastern Visayas, led by House Minority Leader Marcelino ‘Nonoy’ Libanan, filed a bill constructing a 28-kilometer underwater tunnel across the San Bernardino Strait to connect Luzon and the Visayas.

According to a statement released on Sunday, the bill seeks to establish the crossing between Sorsogon in the Bicol Province, and Northern Samar in Eastern Visayas.

‘A fixed link-whether a tunnel or a bridge-will cut travel time, guarantee year-round mobility even during storms, and unlock new opportunities for trade, tourism, and employment,’ Libanan said.

‘Imagine being able to drive seamlessly from Metro Manila to Samar and Leyte without having to queue for a ferry. This will completely change the way people travel, move goods, and connect across our islands,’ he added.

Libanan encouraged his peers to support the bill, citing the disruption between the existing ferry links between Allen, Northern Samar and Matnog, Sorsogon due to ‘rough seas and congestion,’ making the travel less dependable.

Furthermore, the congressman explained its possible impact economically, saying that the link will ‘boost inter-island commerce, attract investors, and open wider markets for local products.’

Libanan also said that a land connection between Luzon and Visayas may strengthen disaster response, considering Eastern Visayas is often first affected by severe weather systems.

‘The tunnel or bridge will allow quicker deployment of emergency services and delivery of relief supplies during calamities,’ Libanan said.

Listed below are Libanan’s co-authors in writing the bill:

Niko Raul Daza (Northern Samar, First District)

Edwin Marino Ongchuan (Northern Samar, Second District)

Stephen James Tan (Samar, First District)

Reynolds Michael Tan (Samar, Second District)

Christopher Sheen Gonzales (Eastern Samar, Lone District)

Roger Mercado (Southern Leyte, First District)

Christopherson Yap (Southern Leyte, Second District)

Gerardo Espina Jr. (Biliran, Lone District)

Ferdinand Martin Romualdez (Leyte, First District)

Lolita Javier (Leyte, Second District)

Anna Victoria Tuazon (Leyte, Third District)

Richard Gomez (Leyte, Fourth District)

Carl Nicolas Cari (Leyte, Fifth District)

Andrew Julian Romualdez (Tingog)

Jude Acidre (Tingog)

Yedda Marie Romualdez (Tingog)

Jonathan Clement Abalos II (4Ps)