• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos and Bacolod City College announced last night the shifting to online classes in all levels today, March 3, following the magnitude 4.8 earthquake that was felt in Bacolod and parts of Negros Occidental at Intensity II at 6:13 p.m.
“For the safety of the whole UNO-R community following the recent earthquake, classes in all levels will be online March 3,” the school said in an advisory. “Offices will also be closed to give way for our inspection team to check the safety in the university.”
The BCC said the shifting to asynchronous/online mode will be due to a structural and safety assessment of all school buildings.
This is to ensure that the campus is safe for the resumption of in-person classes, the city-run school said. “Scheduled school activities for (March 3) are cancelled.”
Bacolod Mayor Greg Gasataya, meanwhile, said that, as of 9:08 last night, 11 of 17 schools and education centers in the city have been declared safe for occupancy by the City Engineer’s Office following the Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA) conducted after the earthquake.
The Negros Occidental High School, ETCS I to III, and ABES I and II are still undergoing inspection, the mayor said. “We advise everyone to remain calm, stay vigilant for possible aftershocks, and await updates from official city government channels.”
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has downgraded to magnitude 4.8, from 5, the tectonic earthquake with Guimbal in Iloilo as epicenter.
In its Earthquake Information 2 posted at 7:21 p.m., Phivolcs said the quake, with depth of 11 km., was felt at Instrumental Intensity IV in Iloilo City and Jordan in Guimaras; Intensity III in Passi City, Iloilo Province; Valderrama and Culasi in Antique; and Nueva Valencia in Guimaras;
Instrumental Intensity II in Bacolod City, La Carlota City, and Sipalay in Negros Occidental; Malinao, Aklan; Tapaz, Capiz; San Lorenzo, Guimaras; and San Jose de Buenavista, Antique; and Intensity I in Ibajay and Malay, Aklan; Anini’y, Antique; and Jamindan, Capiz. | CGC
