Classes at all levels in public and private schools, as well as government work, in General Santos City will be suspended until further notice following the magnitude 5.6 earthquake off Davao Occidental.
In an advisory, the General Santos government said the suspension of government work will take effect Thursday, Oct. 8.
Meanwhile, in-person classes at all levels in both public and private schools in the city are suspended on Friday, Oct. 9. Classes will shift to an alternative mode of learning.
A magnitude 5.6 earthquake earlier struck 28 kilometers northwest of Balut Island in Sarangani, Davao Occidental, at 4:07 p.m.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology initially reported that the tremor had a magnitude of 6.4 in its Earthquake Information No. 1.
The local government said the suspension would allow concerned authorities to conduct structural inspections and safety assessments of establishments.
‘The public is advised to remain calm, stay alert for aftershocks, and follow official advisories,’ it said in the advisory.