Required school disaster program remains unmet

CEBU, Philippines - The integration of disaster risk reduction and management education in Cebu City is yet to be implemented despite the passage of Republic Act 10121 (the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management) in 2010.

Section 14 of RA 10121 mandates that the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education incorporate disaster risk reduction and management education in the school curricula of secondary and tertiary levels, including the National Service Training Program (NSTP); private or public, formal and non-formal, indigenous learning, and out-of-school youth courses and programs.

That is why the Cebu City Council urged the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education to integrate the program in all educational institutions in the city starting June.

Likewise, the schools would be required to hold safety and emergency drills, especially to elementary and kindergarten pupils.

“The law took effect and was approved on May 27, 2010.  Yet, it is observed that the integration of the disaster risk reduction and management education had not been implemented up to this time,” said City Councilor David Tumulak, chairperson of the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Tumulak said disaster education would help students to properly respond to any form of calamities — either, man-made or natural.

“To put it bluntly, we were unprepared against such kind of calamities (typhoon, flood, earthquake), thus many lives were lost and major damage to properties and government infrastructures were reported,” he said.

“It is never too late to prepare today, and every effort we make to prepare ourselves is always a positive step,” Tumulak added. —/RHM (FREEMAN)