Capitol told: Present disaster handbook beneficiaries

CEBU, Philippines — The Commission on Audit (COA) has asked the Capitol for the list of recipients of the 17,600 pieces of Disaster Preparedness Handbook entitled “Pagpangandam sa Katalagman” worth P4.4 million.

COA found out that the distribution list attached as supporting document to the disbursement voucher for the procurement of the said handbooks did not bear names and signatures of the heads of the 824 recipient schools to ascertain that the items were duly received by the identified beneficiaries.

COA recommended for Capitol to direct the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDRRM) Officer to submit a distribution list with signatures of the heads of the identified beneficiary schools or their authorized representatives above their printed names acknowledging receipt of the handbooks to prevent disallowance in audit.

PDRRMO head Baltazar Tribunalo has assured COA to comply with its recommendation in coordination with the Provincial School Board.

The audit team also inquired why the distribution was limited to elementary schools and excluded high schools and whether the pupils can comprehend or understand the contents of the handbook.

Tribunalo explained that the secondary schools already have a lot of programs on risk reduction and management during calamities while the elementary students are left behind.

He added that the handbook is in the dialect and the Provincial Government has also conducted training caravans and risk assessments.

He further said that the handbook is hazard specific where the teachers and students can readily identify the hazards and the applicable protection measures to prepare before, during and after the occurrence of the calamity.

Moreover, he said that there are specific workshops and experimental approaches in training the school heads and officials concerned for them to easily understand and be equipped with the capability to declare independently suspension of classes when calamities occur or when deemed necessary as allowed by law. (FREEMAN)