Disaster Preparedness Programs: Keeping Schools Safe from Threats

In our country where typhoons, earthquake, landslides,volcanic eruptions and other forms of catastrophes are very common, highly populated areas such as schools are at a great risk. Therefore, having disaster preparedness programs are necessary and relevant.Teachers,students and other school community members should be equipped with knowledge and skills to effectively and efficiently respond to disaster situations so that the negative impacts of disaster may be minimized and reduced.

Disaster Preparedness Programs are very helpful and useful especially nowadays that a gradual increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans occurs, resulting to Global Warming which is believed to be permanently changing the earth’s climate. As a response to the effects of Global Warming,the Department of Education implemented DO 74,s.2007-Institutionalization of the Cluster Approach in Humanitarian Response. This aims to ensure predictability, accountability, inclusivity and partnership in all sectors.The Cluster approach is now being implemented and institutionalized in the Philippine Disaster Management System. The Education in Emergencies Cluster aims to respond to emergency situations and to bring together national government agencies, LGUs,non-government organizations and the international and local donor.

In the same year, a study was conducted assessing disaster preparedness of 37 public schools in Luzon. It was found out that 95% was reported to have disaster committees, 35% had disaster preparedness plans, 95% conducted drills once a year (mostly fire and earthquake drills), and 95% were aware of disaster management programs. The result of the study reflects that most of the 37 public schools were knowledgeable and skilled about disaster management but few were able to come up with the disaster preparedness plans which are essential to appropriately execute all these knowledge and skills.

To make people more aware of hazards, our government through the Department of Education (DepEd) conducted seminars/training for teachers and school administrators regarding disaster management. DepEd and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) conducted training on disaster risk reduction in schools which included: Understanding Disasters and Disaster Risk Management;Emergency Preparedness and Response;and School Base Emergency Planning.

And just recently, according to Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Laguda during the Working Session on Safe Schools at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai,Japan last March 2015, Philippines has adopted a unified national framework that incorporates the Comprehensive School Safety framework with the four themes of prevention, preparedness, response, rehabilitation, and recovery. It is believed that this framework guides educational planning and supervision of our public schools. In addition, DO 27, s.2015 also known as Promoting Family Earthquake Preparedness wherein DepEd promoted family preparedness for earthquake through school activities was implemented. Deped also set out contingency plans for schools transected by West Valley Fault.

Although much effort is exerted regarding disaster preparedness, our country still has more to improve on. Continuous monitoring must be conducted to fully prepare our schools to face disasters. There must be an assurance that school buildings can endure strong winds and rains.School materials such as books and computers must be safe from flood waters.A coordination with LGUs and DepEd regarding class suspension must be built. And most importantly, educating students of emergency plans and school drills must be conducted. Indeed, Disaster Preparedness Programs keep schools safe from threats.

Sources:

www.smartschools.ph/Tools/SmartToolsArchive_copy1/DisasterPreparenedness_Archive

www.deped.gov.ph/official-statements/statement-safe-schools-world-conference-drr