TheDepartment of Education (DepEd) is mobilizing efforts to restore facilities and ensure a safe learning environment at San Francisco High School in Quezon City after a fire damaged a major building just days before the start of the 2025–2026 school year.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara and President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. visited the school Wednesday to oversee recovery efforts.
“Hindi po biro ang mawalan ng silid-aralan ilang araw bago ang pasukan, pero ramdam ng mga guro at magulang na hindi sila nag-iisa. The President’s hands-on approach reminds us that recovery is faster when national leadership listens, acts, and stands with our schools,” Angara said.
Even before the site visit, private and public partners had already stepped in. SC Johnson delivered 140 armchairs as part of its 400-chair commitment, while the San Francisco High School Alumni Association and Barangay Sto. Cristo provided paint, toilet fixtures, and manpower.
Meanwhile, the Quezon City local government, through its Sanitation and Engineering Offices, deployed personnel and supplies, while nearby public schools shared surplus furniture. The DepEd Schools Division Office of Quezon City also released P100,000 in immediate aid. Additional support is being coordinated with the Philippine Statistics Authority and the SM Foundation.
The fire broke out at 10:45 AM on 15 June and destroyed the school’s Dao Building, an Imelda-type structure built in 1985. Ten classrooms—eight academic and two non-academic—were lost, affecting around 720 junior high school students and resulting in an estimated P3 million in damages. Among those destroyed were armchairs, teacher desks, fans, lighting fixtures, computer sets, and approximately 150 bundles of learning materials.
Despite the damage, DepEd has assured the public that classes will proceed as scheduled. Affected students have been relocated to DepEd Building A, which has 12 classrooms temporarily vacated by the Schools Division Office.
Learning materials will be replaced, while partners and local donors will provide support to replace damaged furniture, teaching equipment, and classroom ventilation.
“Lubos din po ang pasasalamat namin sa lahat ng tumulong mula sa pribadong sektor, lokal na pamahalaan, alumni, at mga kalapit na paaralan. Sa gitna ng sunog, ang maaaring maging malaking abala ay naging kwento ng bayanihan,” Angara said.
The Department of Education has also recommended the construction of a new four-storey, 20-classroom building to replace the damaged Dao Building and address the school’s existing classroom shortage.
With more than 7,300 enrolled students and nearly 330 teaching and non-teaching personnel, San Francisco High School is one of Quezon City’s largest public high schools.
Meanwhile, President Marcos commended the rapid coordination between DepEd, the local government, and private sector donors, emphasizing the importance of sustaining education even in times of crisis.
The President has also instructed the Department of Public Works and Highways to immediately reconstruct the damaged school.
"We will continue to make sure that the children are able to attend class, teachers have what they want. Yung mga nasirang gamit, we will replace it,” he said.