Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara on Thursday launched a nationwide initiative to certify schools as earthquake-ready, a proactive move to secure the education sector against the threat of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake known as “The Big One.”

The M7X Ready School Program will first institutionalize a certification system for all public schools in the Greater Metro Manila Area, including the National Capital Region, Central Luzon and Calabarzon.

Angara set a deadline for these regions to meet the standards by the end of the 2026 school year, with a full nationwide rollout for both public and private schools scheduled for completion by 2028.

“DepEd is taking proactive steps to prepare for ‘The Big One’ instead of simply responding after a disaster,” Angara said in Filipino during the program’s launch at Tanghalang Rizal in Pasig City.

The initiative is based on the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study, which warns that a magnitude 7.2 earthquake along the West Valley Fault could result in up to 34,000 deaths and catastrophic damage to infrastructure.

To earn M7X certification, schools must pass structural integrity audits and fire safety inspections. They are also required to install early warning systems and establish DepEd Agile Response Teams.

Department officials said these standards are particularly vital for schools in high-risk, densely populated areas situated near active fault lines.