School lapses led to deaths?

CEBU, Philippines - Could the Calagasan National High School in Argao have prevented the deaths of three of its students who were swept away by a flashflood on their way home?

This is what the provincial Department of Education wants to find out when its legal team conducts an investigation today to determine what happened and what could have been done based on protocol, Cebu Province Division Schools Superintendent Dr. Arden Monisit said yesterday.

“Since holiday man today (yesterday, Osmeña Day), we will be sending the legal team tomorrow (today) to look into the administrative side of the case,” Monisit said.

He added that per information relayed to him by the head principal of Argao, Elma Larumbe, there was suspension of classes at 4 p.m. when part of the school was flooded following heavy downpour.

“Sakto ‘tong decision sa school head to suspend class especially upon assessment nga flooded na ang school. Pero murag sayop ‘tong gipapauli ang mga students per group because no one is looking after them on their way home,” Monisit opined.

As specified in the memorandum issued by Monisit before June, class advisers must have a database of contact information of parents or guardians of their students so that the students will not be allowed to leave school premises and go home without an adult guardian fetching them.

“Dili mahimo nga atong pasagdan manguli ug ilaha ra ang mga bata. Kinahanglang naay accompanying adult para maka-guide nila in going home,” he said.

The DepEd provincial official stressed that school officials have been oriented on the proper ways to address a calamity or impending disaster even before the start of the school year.

“Before the school year started, we conducted executive seminar to school heads on how to go about class suspension even without typhoon. I also issued two memoranda on class suspension that said the school heads have the discretion to locally suspend class even without the mayor’s declaration or advice from PAGASA,” he added.

The three CLNHS students were killed after being swept away by a flashflood on the Linut-od River, around 400 meters from the school.

Argao Mayor Edsel Galeos said the river has a footbridge and spillway, but also admitted that the area is flood prone.

The children who got caught in the flashflood reportedly did not take the footbridge, based on the information that reached the mayor.

CLNHS principal Rizalina Sambola, for her part, clarified that there was no suspension of classes as 4 p.m. is their usual dismissal time.

“Amo man nang gimitingan sa mga PTA (Parents Teachers Association). Kay nang reklamo ang mga ginikanan nga gabii na maabot ang ilang mga anak gikan sa skwelahan. Makuyawan sila kay usually duha ka oras maglakaw ang mga bata gikan sa school padung sa ilang balay,” Sambola explained.

The same meeting also yielded that shorter breaks should be given to students to prevent them from leaving the campus, thereby minimizing risks of accidents.

“Ang among lunch break 12 to 12:30 ra gyud para igo ra makakaon ang students and teachers. Aron pud maka dismissal na mi’g 4 p.m. Gimub-an sad namo ang ilang vacant time para dili ra sila kagawas,” she added.

As regards administrative investigation to be done today by DepEd provincial officials, the principal said she is willing to face the legal team and enlighten them on the decisions that they have made for the school.

Sambola is also set to meet with PTA officials today to discuss the assistance that the association can give to the families of the drowned students.

She also said she immediately coordinated with authorities for the search and rescue of the missing children as soon as she was informed by a teacher who lives near the river about what happened.

“I reported it to the police at 6 p.m. when it became dark and the barangay tanods and the miners who searched did not find the children. We already tapped the help of the police. I also made an incident report to be submitted to our lead principal Elma Larumbe. I am just waiting for the official police report as an attachment,” Sambola said.  —/BRP (FREEMAN)