Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the Department of Education (DepEd) is considering redirecting part of its budget to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to fast-track the repair and reconstruction of school buildings damaged by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on Monday.

Speaking during the distribution of educational materials at Pinaglabanan Elementary School in San Juan City, Angara said DPWH engineers are assessing whether affected schools in Sarangani, General Santos City, and other parts of Mindanao can be retrofitted, repaired, or require new buildings.

“We have to make sure of that. Kami naman ni Sec. Vince (Dizon), nag-usap kami kung puwede naming ibaba sa DPWH ang pondo ng QRF (Quick Response Fund) para sa repairs ng mga school buildings para mas mabilis din ang proseso. We are just waiting for the list coming from the DPWH para mapabilis ang mga repairs para makabalik na sa eskwelahan ang mga batang apektado,” Angara said.

The Department of Budget and Management earlier announced that a combined P13.14 billion in available Quick Response Funds had been set aside for disaster response efforts.

Angara said DepEd has already released P21 million to support clearing operations in affected areas.

Meanwhile, the education chief said alternative learning modes, including modular instruction and shifting schedules, have been implemented for students affected by the earthquake.

In a separate press briefing in Malacañang, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had ordered the release of P100 million from the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF) for the reconstruction of the General Santos City Hall.

“Tiniyak din ng Pangulo na maglalaan ng karagdagang budget ang Department of Budget and Management mula sa LGSF para sa infrastructure repairs ng Sarangani at South Cotabato. Maliban dito, ipinag-utos din ng Pangulo ang pamimigay ng P50,000 na tulong pinansiyal para sa naiwang pamilya ng mga nasawi sa lindol,” Castro said.

The earthquake, considered one of the most devastating to hit Mindanao in recent years, has claimed more than 35 lives, injured over 200 people, and caused widespread damage to infrastructure.

More than 1,300 public schools, along with numerous commercial establishments and coastal properties, were reportedly damaged by the earthquake and the tsunami that followed.