June 8 - Opening of classes earthquake incident in Mindanao

By: Princess Marienel Vitor

It was June 8, 2026—the highly anticipated first day of school. The campus was absolutely buzzing with day-one energy as everyone showed up in crisp uniforms, catching up with friends they hadn't seen all summer. The entire student body gathered outside together, kicking off the school year with the flag ceremony, followed by everyone letting loose and dancing during Zumba. The energy was high, the courtyard was packed, and the open sky was above us.

Just as the outdoor activities wrapped up, we began heading inside the classrooms to settle down and start the day with the rosary. That was the exact moment the universe shifted.

My phone suddenly started blaring a loud, jarring sound. In the middle of that first-day chaos, my brain automatically assumed it was just a random morning alarm I had forgotten to turn off. I frantically checked the screen to shut it down, but it wouldn’t stop. It wasn't an alarm at all. It was an emergency broadcast from Google flashing in bold letters: Earthquake nearby. Expect shaking.

I barely had five seconds to process what I was reading before a strange, sudden wave of dizziness washed over me. My balance felt completely off, and a heartbeat later, the terrifying realization clicked. It wasn't just a dizzy spell—the ground beneath us was beginning to move.

At first, it felt minor, like a low vibration. But within seconds, the real force hit. The subtle swaying violently escalated into a heavy, continuous jolt. The floor buckled, the walls groaned, and the ground kept shaking and shaking, feeling as if it would never stop. Time slowed down completely as we held on through the terrifying rolling motion.

Looking back, you can't help but see a profound blessing in how the morning was timed. Thank God for the flag ceremony and Zumba. Because the vast majority of schools were still out on the open grounds—and because we had just been in that safe, open space before transitioning inside—thousands of students across the region were kept out from under falling concrete, heavy light fixtures, and indoor hazards the exact moment the heaviest tremors struck.

We made it through the terrifying main shock and the tense aftershocks that followed. As the dust settles on a first day of school we will absolutely never forget, our hearts and prayers are with the rest of Mindanao—asking for safety, protection, and deep healing for everyone affected today.