The first day of classes in the Philippines turned into a nightmare on June 8 when a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Sarangani province. At least 46 people died, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said in an update on June 13.

The magnitude 7.8 quake hit at 7:37 am, rocking many parts of Mindanao. In the Davao Region, seven people died, 40 were injured, and 22 remain missing. Soccsksargen, the region that includes Sarangani, suffered the worst — 39 dead, 647 injured, and 16 missing.

More than 100,000 families were affected, the NDRRMC reported. Nearly 1,900 families are still in evacuation centers, unable to return home.

For students and teachers, the timing couldn't have been worse. The Department of Education said on June 10 that at least 1,462 classrooms were completely destroyed, while another 5,840 had minor or major damage. The agency said it would allocate millions of pesos for repairs and makeshift classrooms.

But the earthquake wasn't the only tragedy that week. On June 8, Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) confirmed that two of its basketball players, Rene Baterbonia, 18, and Divine Adili, 21, drowned during a team-building activity in Dipaculao, Aurora. The Blue Eagles were holding the activity when the incident happened.

Ateneo educators later issued an open letter to university president Fr. Roberto Yap, demanding that school officials and the coaching staff address the deaths in person, not just through statements. On June 12, head coach Tab Baldwin broke his silence. He apologized, saying he "failed" as a leader and a friend.

Meanwhile, in other news from the week: Harriet Sperling married Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips, in Britain on June 6. Pink and Neil Patrick Harris performed at the Tony Awards in New York on June 7. Protesters in Albania demonstrated against a luxury resort linked to Jared Kushner, Donald Trump's son-in-law, on an environmentally sensitive part of the Adriatic coast.

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers inspected a missile fragment after strikes from Iran. In Cuba, Havana residents endured 20-hour blackouts amid a US blockade. And in Barcelona, Pope Leo XIV inaugurated the Tower of Jesus Christ at the Sagrada Familia.

Back in Manila, park workers repainted the Rizal monument and the Independence flagpole ahead of the 128th Philippine Independence Day on June 12. And in New York, a giant inflatable caricature of Elon Musk stood in Times Square, criticizing his AI chatbot Grok.

But for the families in Mindanao, the focus remains on recovery. The earthquake destroyed homes, schools, and lives. The government's ability to rebuild will determine how fast they can recover — and whether the next school year starts any better.