THE June 8 earthquake in Mindanao could have been a lot worse. The 7.8 quake struck at 7:37 a.m. near Maasim, Sarangani on the first day of classes. As is customary on the first day of the academic year, students and faculty convened in the school gardens, open fields and auditoriums for the flag-raising ceremony and welcome orientation. When the quake hit, the students were already where they should be, in an open space.
The following day, social media was filled with with “our flag saved a lot of learners today” illustrations and tributes. I cannot imagine what could have happened if the quake struck while students were inside classrooms, having recess or doing other activities. Though regular earthquake drills are common in schools and offices, there is always a risk of injury or death or the possibility of a stampede or getting trapped in a compromised building.
The Department of Education said that in about 6,224 schools, 3.2 million students and 128,000 teachers and staff were exposed to the earthquake and aftershocks based on initial reports. At least 31 people have died and several are missing. Every death is one too many. But for an earthquake of this magnitude, thankfully, the death toll is relatively low.
What this “miracle” tells us other than the practical significance of heraldic duty and patriotism is that accessible public open spaces serve as critical safety zones during earthquakes. They become safe evacuation areas away from falling debris. Parks and open spaces are not luxuries for exclusive subdivisions alone, they are essential to disaster resilience and must be planned for in every community.
Open spaces provide locations for temporary shelters after an earthquake while homes may be unsafe to occupy, roads may be blocked, and essential services may be disrupted. They serve as emergency meeting place for many families. Parks and plazas allow responders to organize rescue efforts while giving affected families a safe place to gather and receive assistance. Cities and developers must plan for disasters and incorporate open spaces into its land use and city design. Parks and open spaces provide daily recreational and health benefits.
The June 8 Mindanao earthquake was very well documented because all schools were simultaneously doing their flag-raising ceremonies. Because of these videos, we can see clearly how the school yard provided a safe space for children and administrators. One of the more dramatic videos captured the collapse of the ground floor of the Matanao National High School. The superintendent was quick to dispel rumors by confirming that the building was a dilapidated structure that was no longer in use since 2019. It was due for demolition and unoccupied. It had previously been damaged by the 2019 earthquake. In the same video, we see the students already gathered safely in the field.
While lives have thankfully been spared and the true extent of the damage is still being assessed, some classrooms and schools have visibly been destroyed. These buildings and rooms can be rebuilt so school can reopen. The emotional trauma of the children must be processed. Their learning will be disrupted again. I am reminded of my site visit as Unicef special advocate for children to Davao Oriental after Super Typhoon Pablo (Bopha) devastated the land and killed over a thousand people. One hundred days after the disaster, children were still getting psychosocial support dealing with their losses and fears. The trauma of experiencing an intense earthquake, building collapse or loss of life can trigger fear, anxiety and a feeling of helplessness. Children, parents and teachers should be given psychosocial support. The children’s recovery will depend on their caregiver’s and guardian’s response.
Long after the tremors have faded, the question remains: What kind of buildings and communities are we building? Are our buildings up to code? Are our public infrastructure structurally worthy? With all the allegations of kickbacks and corruption, we can’t help but continue to ask questions and demand answers. A resilient community is one that prepares before disaster arrives, one that recognizes that safety requires space as much as it requires structure. The open field that sheltered students in Mindanao during the earthquake is more than a patch of land, it reminds us that the best structure to be in during an earthquake is in no structure at all.
