Fortun, a member of the House committee on Mindanao affairs, said the investigation must cover the government’s school building program in light of the quake-induced devastation in Mindanao. These school buildings were made of durable materials and were supposed to withstand extreme conditions, including the impact of climate change, he said. On Tuesday, the Department of Education (DepEd) said 1,047 schools were destroyed by the quakes, with property damage estimated at P3.3 billion. It was followed by Davao region, with 274 schools; Northern Mindanao, 82; and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 21. Mayor Joseph Evangelista said he was surprised that most of the school buildings that suffered heavy damage were newly built.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 12, 2019 20:17 UTC