To strengthen disaster preparedness and response in schools, Department of Education’s (DepEd) school administrators and teachers from 30 schools across San Miguel, Virac, and Caramoran in Catanduanes participated in an intensive three-day training on Child-Centered Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CCDRRM) and Education in Emergencies (EiE). The training was held from January 30 to February 1, 2025.
Organized in collaboration between Educo Philippines and resource persons from the DepEd Division Office of Catanduanes, the training aimed to refresh and enhance the knowledge of School DRRM Teams on key strategies, protocols, and best practices to ensure the safety and well-being of school communities during natural and human-induced disasters as well as the integration of child rights in DRRM.
Participants engaged in discussions on disaster preparedness, emergency response protocols, and best practices for school safety. A key focus was the mainstreaming of Education in Emergencies (EiE) by integrating available DepEd alternative Delivery Modes (ADMs) of Learning or School Initiated Intervention (SII) that are appropriate and context-sensitive to the learners during or after emergencies. The sessions also emphasized the importance of clearly delineated roles and responsibilities within the School DRRM Teams to ensure effective coordination and organizational management during crises.
Another significant component of the training was the review and enhancement of schools’s DRRM plan. Participants received a re-orientation on the School Improvement Plan (SIP), highlighting the interconnectedness of its four pillars and the need to incorporate DRRM and EiE to ensure resilient and responsive educational institutions.
“I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to Educo, to all the committed and dedicated personnel for initiating this “Project Safe II” as our partner before, during, and after disaster or during Education in Emergencies. For ensuring not only the delivery of quality education but also in ensuring that all children are free from any form of harm and violation of their rights,” Merlie Barba, a Teacher from Pangilao Elementary School in San Miguel, said.
She also added that as an attendee of the three-day training workshop, she gained a lot of knowledge from the different sessions on how to act before, during, and after disaster.
“My insight as this training goes by, is that not only we adults have the sole responsibility towards safety but also to involve the children in planning and implementation so that their awareness will be heightened on how to protect themselves,” Barba continued.
This venture falls under Educo Philippines’ Project SAFE II (Strengthening Accountability for Girls and Boys in DRRM Situations in Catanduanes), a three-year project by Educo Philippines in partnership with Child Fund Korea. This project is implemented in Catanduanes, focusing on the municipalities of Caramoran, San Miguel, and Virac. The project outcomes includes increasing children’s resilience and protection before, during, and after the disaster through child-led activities; strengthening responsive safety measures considering children at school before, during, and after a disaster; and empowering the communities and capacitating the duty-bearers for child protection in a disaster situation.
Through this training, Educo Philippines and DepEd Catanduanes reaffirm their commitment to building disaster-resilient schools, ensuring that children continue to receive quality education even in times of emergencies.
