Cracks found in Bohol schools, gov't buildings

TAGBILARAN CITY ,Philippines  – Authorities have found cracks in some public school and government offices buildings in this city and other towns of Bohol in the aftermath of the earthquake that hit the Visayas on Monday.

They also said that more than 1,000 aftershocks have been felt in the entire Bohol province, three days after the tremor, adding that the damages in schools, even if minor in nature, could exacerbate the problem of lack of classrooms.

In this capital city, two classrooms of the East Central Elementary School were declared unfit for classes by school authorities. Grades II and VI classes have to be transferred to nearby library building across the street, said school principal Marcelino Pelin.

Pelin said the Grade VI classroom and home economics building have cracks on its old concrete wall and Grade II classroom’s concrete wall is about to collapse. Some of the classrooms also bore line-cracks, which may be repaired anyway, he said.

City Schools division officials reported that, right after the earthquake, cracks became evident on the walls of the TLE building, toilet of the 3rd year high school building, Science Building near the stairway, and the toilet of SPA building of the Dr. Cecilio Putong National High School.

Other schools—Manga Elementary School, Tagbilaran City East School and Ubujan Elementary School— also bore cracks on their buildings.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PRRDMC) has been assessing damages in the aftermath of the earthquake and collating reports from the local governments.

The provincial government’s TARSIER (Telephone and Radio System Integrated Emergency Response) 117 received reports about minor cracks found on the walls of classrooms of Canduao Elementary School in Valencia town, and of a school building in Baclayon town.

Mayor Miguelito Galendez of Garcia-Hernandez town, confirmed cracks were found in some public schools, which were already old and needing repairs, while Mayor Fortunato Abrenilla of Jagna reported some damages, though minor, on schools buildings in his town.

Sikatuna town Mayor Jose Ellorimo also reported that the tremor worsened the existing cracks on a school building, which was unused in the past because it was already tilting. The mayor warned that the building might collapse anytime, and had sought for its demolition while asking that the site be cordoned off the public.He also reported that cracks were seen in some parts of the Municipal Hall, specifically the ground floor area occupied by the town police and the municipal agriculturist.

TARSIER 117 further reported that in Clarin town, minor cracks were found in the Municipal Hall, the Bonbon Elementary School, and a church, while in Baclayon town, minor cracks were seen in the walls of the buildings of a high school and an elementary school.

In Dauis, Phivolcs research analyst Nolan Evangelista inspected the five-centimeter cracks on the walls of all the classrooms of a vocational school, constructed in 1985, and several large cracks on a classroom at Brgy. Mayacabac and he eventually recommended for its demolition.

The tremor also caused landslide in Brgy. Lombog of Guindulman town where landslides already occurred several times in the past.