MANILA, Philippines - Dipatlong Primary School in Maribojoc, Bohol was damaged by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that hit the province last year. Its walls bear huge cracks, the ceiling almost collapsing and the fence reduced to rubble. In fact, the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) gave the school a red code, declaring it unsafe to hold classes.
Furthermore, the school is also prone to storm surge. Despite this, almost 90 schoolchildren trooped back to Dipatlong Primary School during the school opening.
To help schoolchildren of Dipatlong Primary School and nine more public elementary schools in Maribojoc prepare for earthquakes, storm surges and other disasters, Rescue5, the Emergency Response Unit of TV5 News and Information (News5), gave them copies of its specialized activity book on disaster preparedness in Sinugbuanong Binisaya, the mother tongue in Bohol.
The book distribution was part of Rescue 5’s Oplan Handa sa Eskwela 2014 project. The team also handed out 72-hour survival kits (backpacks containing emergency devices and school supplies) to 600 kids.
“We developed the Rescue5 activity book and had it translated to various native languages, so that children in different parts of the country can better understand how they can protect themselves during disasters,†said TV5 Public Service Sherryl Yao.
The schoolchildren excitedly answered their activity books, while News5 anchor Paolo Bediones guided them. He also conducted a disaster-preparedness demo that includes making an improvised floatation device and doing the “drop, cover and hold on†during an earthquake.