Cebu City dad on continuing tremors: Prioritize student safety, mental well-being

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“EDUCATION can wait, but their lives and peace of mind cannot.”

This was Cebu City Councilor Edgardo Labella II’s reminder to the city government as earthquakes continue to rattle Cebu and nearby provinces, prompting fears among students and parents alike.

In his privilege speech during the City Council’s session on Tuesday, Oct. 14, Labella urged Mayor Nestor Archival, the Local School Board, and DepEd Region VII to keep prioritizing student safety and mental well-being by implementing a flexible learning setup while aftershocks persist.

Labella described how children have been visibly traumatized by the string of earthquakes that shook the region in recent weeks — a 6.9-magnitude quake in Northern Cebu on September 30, a 7.6-magnitude tremor off Davao Oriental on October 10, and a 6.0-magnitude jolt that struck Northern Cebu again on October 13.

“Makita gyud ang panic sa ilang mga mata… daghan kaayo ang nicollapse, ug nanghilak intawon nangita sa ilang ginikanan,” he said. “No child should grow up feeling that kind of fear — that at any moment, the walls around them could fall.”

He reminded city officials of the State’s constitutional role as parents, patriae, or guardian of those unable to protect themselves, especially children.

“It is the State’s solemn duty to help in their rearing as a partner of parents,” Labella said. “As a father, it breaks my heart to see my children tremble in fear every time the ground shakes. As public servants, we have the duty to think of our children.”

Labella’s appeal came just days after Mayor Archival extended the class suspension in all public schools across Cebu City for another week following a new wave of tremors across the Visayas and Mindanao.

In his Oct. 12 advisory, Archival announced that all public daycare, kindergarten, elementary, and high school classes would remain suspended from Oct. 13-18, with lessons to continue online.

“Learning continues, even in times of precaution,” the mayor said. “Students and teachers will have remote learning during these dates — so make sure to check your online class schedules.”

He gave private schools and public colleges the discretion to decide their own class arrangements after assessing building safety.

Archival also reminded the public to stay alert, review earthquake safety measures, and prepare emergency kits.

“Let us all remain alert, prepared, and cooperative. Learning will continue remotely — even in times of precaution,” he said.

Labella said the city should revisit flexible learning schemes proven effective during the pandemic, combining online and limited face-to-face classes until the tremors fully subside.

“Perhaps we can consider adopting a flexible learning schedule where schoolchildren, especially those in the elementary level, can continue their lessons online and report to school only to submit requirements or participate in minimal in-person activities,” he proposed.

“We’ve done this during the pandemic — if we succeeded then, we can do it again.”(TGP)