PHIVOLCS, DepEd push for NCR-wide earthquake preps in schools

The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on Thursday held a briefing assessing the safety and disaster preparedness of public and private schools situated above the West Valley Fault.

In an exclusive I M Ready media event last May, PHIVOLCS Director Renato Solidum warned that Metro Manila still has a long way to go in terms of disaster preparedness. 
 

DepEd Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Laguda, who had previously expressed his commitment to establish safe schools, said that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has been conducting a series of meetings to address this concern. 

 

"Now we have ordered the closure of public school buildings above the fault lines," Laguda said. "PHIVOLCS also has meetings with private schools. Aside from structural integrity, we are also looking at preparations of field offices and schools. The risk profiles are different form one school to another so preparation should be localized."

 

PHIVOLCS Director Renato U. Solidum Jr., who was also present for the meeting, said that the public schools in Metro Manila have already been advised to prepare evacuation plans.

 

"Matagal na namin itong ginawa sa public school," Solidum stated. "We had all the public schools in Metro Manila prepare an evac plan. We prepared checklists. Sometimes some communities check with us."

 

Structural Intervention

 

Structural intervention is entirely possible, according to Laguda.

 

The DPWH is currently assessing the structural integrity of a public school in Muntinlupa, and 5 buildings have been vacated.

 

"Maaari talagang magkarooon ng structural interventions to address some issues," Laguda said. "But I would like to emphasize, there is a non structural part. Pag intensity 8, di ka makakatayo. Sabi pag lumindol, tumakbo ka palabas. Hindi po. Duck, cover, hold."

 

Laguda also advised teachers and principals to discuss safety, and for students to be included in disaster preparations.

 

But the DepEd officer emphasized that it is not merely the schools located in disaster prone areas that should be prepared.

 

"This is not about the schools above the fault," Laguda stressed. "Mahalagang makita natin na whole of Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan will experience shakings. We want to look at the level of preparedness in all the schools in this area."

Metro-wide quake drill on July 30

Click here to visit the official MMDA website of the Metro Manila Shakedrill. — Jessica Bartolome/TJD, GMA News