Philippines: DepEd strengthens disaster awareness in education sector
PIA press release
Manila - The Department of Education (DepEd) central office has strengthened its disaster and risk reduction awareness campaign by holding occupational safety and earthquake drills among its staff.
The DepEd said that after their staff training, they will then be deployed as marshals ready to respond to situations when calamities strike any of the hundreds of public schools nationwide.
“The activity is very timely not only because of the series of earthquakes that had happened but it will also teach life-saving skills that every employee should know. It is important that we know how to respond properly before, during, and after any of these hazards happen in their respective workplace,” said Oliver Hernandez, engineer of DepEd-Physical Facilities and Schools Engineering Division (DepEd-PFSED) and OIC-director of Administrative Services.
DepEd, in partnership with the Project Alliance on Social Dialogue, has performed a workplace assessment to resolve issues and concerns on occupational safety and health of DepEd employees.
The assessment identified earthquake and fire-prone areas in different buildings being used by DepEd employees in the central office. This prompted Hernandez’s team to include the central office in the disaster preparedness interventions that the department is doing.
The seminar/drill aims to educate DepEd disaster marshals on the identified hazards in the workplace and how to respond to each of these when the need arises in order to minimize vulnerabilities. It also intends to avoid or limit the adverse impact of hazards disaster risks that may strike without warning.
Hernandez further said that the activity is in line with the observance of the Fire Prevention Month in March. The activities are administered in coordination with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), local government units, firefighting agencies, and other institutions.
A DepEd Occupational Safety and Health Committee will be created. Likewise, DepEd Disaster marshals (at least two marshals for every floor of the building within DepEd complex) will be designated.
Recently, DepEd discussed the state of public schools and their structural integrity as they may be affected by earthquakes. It also mentioned the major interventions being undertaken such as the inspection of DepEd classrooms for possible structural defects to ensure that these can survive earthquakes, the conduct of earthquake drills, and the continuous monitoring on the status of schools near waterfronts that may be in danger from tsunamis.
To date, the department had inspected a total of 685 schools nationwide.
DepEd has also constructed a number of hazard-resilient school buildings in the Eastern Sea Board area, in compliance with the National Building Code Standards. These buildings can withstand earthquake and typhoons and have an estimated lifespan of more than 50 years.
Immediate repair/rehabilitation or replacement of damaged school buildings through the Quick Response Fund of DepEd is also being done. (JCP/RJB-PIA-NCR/PNA/br/scs/MPC)