By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan | Philippine News Agency
MANILA – Partido Reporma senatorial Guillermo Eleazar on Sunday, Mar. 20, said a subject that focuses on disaster resilience should be included in the school curriculum since Filipinos are often exposed to different natural hazards such as typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions among others.
Eleazar, the former Philippine National Police chief, said it is wise that the Department of Education (DepEd) considers the value of disaster resilience among young learners.
“Taun-taon ay binibisita ng mga bagyo ang ating bansa at hindi rin nawawala ang banta ng lindol at pagputok ng mga bulkan. Kaya naman halos taun-taon din ay marami sa ating mga kababayan ang nabibiktima ng mga kalamidad. Maraming buhay, kabuhayan, at ari-arian ang nawawala kaya hirap na makabangon ang mga kababayan nating nasasalanta (We are hit by strong typhoons on a yearly basis and this do not include the threat of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. And every year, a lot of our countrymen are hit hard by calamities. A lot of lives, livelihood sources, and properties are often lost making it difficult for those affected to recover),” he said in a statement.
In 2015, the DepEd incorporated the comprehensive disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) in the basic education framework.
This guides DRRM efforts in the basic education sector and ensures that quality education is continuously provided and prioritized even during disasters or emergencies.
Although it is closely related and interconnected, Eleazar said “DRRM” is different from disaster resilience.
He added that the DRMM focuses on “planning and reducing vulnerabilities” while the latter emphasizes “speeding recovery and facilitating adaptation.”
The “duck, cover, hold” procedure, he said, as well as other strategies to minimize the occurrence and better manage the risks during a disaster are actually part of DRRM. (PNA) – bny
