DEPED PROMOTES FAMILY PREPAREDNESS FOR EARTHQUAKE THROUGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

AS PART of the observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month, the Department of Education (DepEd) has required all elementary and secondary schools to promote family preparedness for earthquakes as outlined in the DepEd Order 27, series of 2015 through school activities.

DepEd stressed that disaster preparedness should be anchored in family readiness, not just in individual preparedness. The activities involve the following: (a) learners answering a series of questions highlighting family preparedness in the form of a homework to be done with their families; (b) all advisory teachers are expected to discuss the results and cull out the learnings appropriate for their respective communities; and (c) principals are required to discuss the summary of their findings with the parents-teachers associations and barangay officials for consideration in the school and community preparedness planning.

This supports previous DepEd orders on school-based preparedness measures such as the conduct of drills, identification of risks, among others. Aside from ensuring the structural integrity of classroom buildings, DepEd underscores the importance of the preparedness through proper information and proactive practices of its field offices and schools in Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM). DepEd requires every school to form a DRRM team to ensure that proper DRR school policies and intervention measures are appropriate in their locality.

DepEd has been working closely together with Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) in relation to dissemination of proper information and preparedness measures for earthquake. DepEd continues to participate in the efforts of the government, led by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Office of Civil Defense (OCD), in preparing for the Valley Fault System earthquake scenario. # Source – Department of Education (DepED)