Prioritize students’ safety, LGUs urged

MANILA, Philippines — An Department of Education (DepEd) official is urging local government units (LGUs) to prioritize the safety of students by providing emergency kits that they can use during disasters.

Speaking with “The Chiefs” aired on Cignal TV’s One News on Tuesday, Education Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla underscored the importance of local government support in ensuring the safety of students.

“We are limited by our funding,” Sevilla said, referring to the capability of the DepEd to provide emergency kits or “go bags” to all public school students nationwide. “It’s not provided by our national government.”

In most cases, Sevilla said it is the LGUs that provide such kits, which include whistles, flashlights and other basic items, such as bottles of water, that the students can use in cases of emergency. 

LGUs can use their special education fund to provide such kits in public schools within their jurisdictions. Other stakeholders, including private companies and civil society organizations, also provide some schools with emergency kits, according to the DepEd official.

She said it is also important to inform every family member of the identified evacuation points in their areas, noting that communication lines may be affected in case of a major disaster, like a powerful quake.

The DepEd earlier ordered the inspection of all schools in areas affected by the powerful tremors in Luzon and the Visayas earlier this week.

9 division offices, public schools damaged in Luzon

Initial assessment of the impact of the magnitude 6.1 quake in Luzon showed that nine division offices and 15 public schools in Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Southern Tagalog have sustained damage following the earthquake. These include the Laukan National High School and Mabalacat Elementary School in Bataan; Malusac Elementary School, Pio Elementary School, Camias High School, San Nicolas Integrated School and Sindalan Elementary School in Pampanga; and Subic Central Elementary School and Agusin High School in Zambales.

In Metro Manila, among those that sustained damage were the Cupang Senior High School in Muntinlupa; Mataas na Paaralang Neptali A. Gozales in Mandaluyong; and Ugong Pasig National High School, Dr. Sixto Antonio Elementary School and Nagpayong Elementary School in Pasig City.

The impact ranged from cracked floors to damaged pathways, corridors and school buildings, according to the DepEd. Some of the schools also reported collapsed walls, ceilings and perimeter fences.

At least P34.28 million is needed to repair the damage, the DepEd said, citing preliminary estimates from its rapid assessment teams.

Buildings of the University of the Philippines in Olongapo and Pampanga were among those that sustained damage following Monday’s earthquake, UP Diliman chancellor Michael Tan said in a statement released by the university student council.

Tan said classes remained suspended yesterday in the two campuses to give way to further evaluation by university engineers.

At the university’s flagship campus in Diliman, Quezon City, Tan said no earthquake-related damage has been found in all academic buildings and dormitories.

One building, the Romulo Hall that houses the Institute of Islamic Studies, however, was declared off-limits because of a history of repeated repairs. 

8 public schools damaged in Visayas quake

Meanwhile, at least eight public elementary and high schools were damaged following the magnitude 6.5 earthquake that struck Eastern Visayas on Tuesday.

Initial field reports released by the DepEd showed that cracks were seen at the Antonio Balmes National High School, Bayanihan Elementary School, Cirilo Roy Montejo National High School, Nula-tula Elementary School, Scandinavian National High School, Tigbao-diit Central School and V&G National High School, all in Tacloban City.

Some classrooms at the Maypangdan National High School in Borongan, Eastern Samar also sustained minor damage.

The DepEd said its disaster risk reduction and management service would continue to monitor other possible impacts of the earthquake on students and other stakeholders.

Sevilla earlier said an assessment of the public schools in affected areas will be conducted to ensure that the buildings are structurally sound and safe for use.