SULTAN KUDARAT — Governor Datu Pax Ali S. Mangudadatu ordered the suspension of all classes and government work across Sultan Kudarat on Tuesday, following a magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck off the coast of Kalamansig early in the morning.

The suspension covers both public and private schools at all levels and all provincial government offices. In a public safety advisory, Mangudadatu said the move is intended to protect residents from potential aftershocks and to allow engineering teams to conduct structural safety assessments of buildings.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that the main tremor occurred at 3 a.m. at a depth of 10 kilometers.

The epicenter was located approximately 43 kilometers south of Kalamansig. While the agency initially recorded the quake as magnitude 5.3, it later downgraded the event to 5.2.

The earthquake was felt at Intensity IV in Kalamansig and Intensity III in areas including Isulan, South Cotabato and Sarangani. A smaller magnitude 5.0 tremor was also recorded in the same area minutes earlier at 2:53 a.m.

“The provincial government is with you in ensuring the safety of every Kudarateño,” the advisory stated. Authorities urged residents to remain calm, follow emergency protocols, and avoid spreading unverified information that could cause panic.

Phivolcs said it does not expect significant damage from the tremors but warned the public to remain vigilant for aftershocks. An executive order formalizing the suspension is expected to be issued today as monitoring continues.

In other developments, Phivolcs recorded a total of 340 rockfall events from 19 January midnight to 20 January at Mayon Volcano in Albay. According to Director Teresito Bacolcol, this is the highest rockfall that they have recorded since they raised the alert level 3 on the volcano.

In the latest data, it showed that 45 pyroclastic density currents and 13 volcanic earthquakes were recorded in the 24-hour time period. The Phivolcs director said that the Mayon Volcano intensifies its activity.

Phivolcs said that they are monitoring the number of volcanic earthquakes, dome collapse and “abnormal changes in gas emissions.”