Repair of quake-hit schools to be prioritized 

THE DEPARTMENT of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will prioritize the repair of school buildings damaged by earthquakes, an official told a congressional hearing on Wednesday.   

“The seismic rehabilitation program is limited to earthquake-affected structures, and these are only major defects on structures,” Public Works Undersecretary Emil K. Sadain told congressmen.  

He was answering a question from Davao de Oro Rep. Maria Carmen S. Zamora, who asked if the budget for repairing schools damaged by earthquakes can be treated as flagship projects. 

The Department of Education (DepEd) would have to pay for repairs caused by aging, Mr. Sadain said. 

DepEd said 475 schools in the Cordillera Administrative Region were damaged by the magnitude 7 quake in July. 

Mr. Sadain said the agency already has a list of schools that were damaged by recent earthquakes. — Matthew Carl L. Montecillo