Schools Urged to Create Disaster Response Protocols
TACLOBAN CITY – Local officials have urged schools in Eastern Visayas to create disaster response protocols, emphasizing the need to embed disaster awareness among students. This call highlights the importance of practical disaster preparedness in a region vulnerable to various natural hazards.
According to a regional disaster official, integrating disaster response into the education system is vital. “It is important to integrate disaster management. In Japan, they teach this as early as elementary school. It would be good to inculcate it in our education system, not just as theory but as practice,” a source said.
Building Volunteerism and National Spirit Through Disaster Education
Teaching disaster response not only equips students with essential skills but also fosters volunteerism and patriotism. Officials noted that encouraging student participation in disaster response is crucial, especially since the Philippines has ranked number one in the global risk index for the past three years.
Furthermore, students are encouraged to share disaster preparedness knowledge with their families, helping to raise public awareness on how to act during emergencies. “If we have integrated it into our education system, it will give us trained or partially trained volunteers if you have a student-level grassroots program,” community leaders said.
Technical Assistance Offered to Schools
The disaster office has pledged to provide technical support to schools developing their own disaster response protocols. This initiative aims to ensure that educational institutions are ready to protect their students and staff during calamities.
Visayas State University Sets an Example
Schools are encouraged to follow the example set by Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City. In August 2025, more than 500 students residing in the university’s Upper Dormitories were safely evacuated following heavy flooding.
The evacuation followed the university’s disaster resilience and management office (DRMO) protocols, which were activated after continuous heavy rainfall affected both the campus and nearby communities. “The evacuation is automatically enforced if the campus records six hours of continuous rainfall or three hours of heavy downpour,” the DRMO director explained.
Students receive notifications through official communication channels to move to designated safe areas. They are also advised to bring essential documents and emergency kits known as “Go Bags.” The university’s disaster protocols were developed in collaboration with experts in geotechnical engineering and meteorology.
Institutionalizing Disaster Preparedness Education
To strengthen disaster readiness, VSU’s leadership plans to institutionalize disaster management education across all academic programs and its laboratory school. This move aims to ensure that disaster preparedness becomes a fundamental part of the learning experience for all students.
For more news and updates on disaster preparedness, visit Filipinokami.com.
