The Tinocdugan Elementary School in Leyte town, Leyte province will soon have a new school building consisting of one classroom.
Thanks to the donation made by the provincial government through Governor Leopoldo Dominico ‘Mic’ Petilla.
Earlier, a resolution signed by the school head and barangay officials was submitted to the Office of the Governor seeking support for the construction of additional school building for the Tinocdugan Elementary School, about 15 kms away from the town center.
Thankfully, Gov. Petilla responded positively that led to the construction of the school’s new classroom.
Needless to say, the donation will be a big help to the school which suffered devastation when super typhoon hit Leyte town on November 8,2013.
The construction of the new building worth P1.2 million started on May 20 of this year and is expected to be completed on September 20.
(Note: The author is the teacher-in-charge of the Tinocdugan Elementary School in Leyte,Leyte)
Students of Gov. E. Jaro Elementary School (GEJES) in Babatngon, Leyte participate in the quarterly earthquake drill.
Students of Gov. E. Jaro Elementary School (GEJES) in Babatngon, Leyte participate in the quarterly earthquake drill.
It’s good to be prepared always, thus the need to strengthen the capacity of schools to enable them to respond in the event of disasters and emergencies to save more lives and ensure resilience.
Recently, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned of a possible strong earthquake in Leyte as the Philippine Fault in the province never had significant shaking in more than 100 years.
Aiming for disaster resilience, Gov. E. Jaro Elementary School (GEJES) in Babatngon II District has initiated its disaster risk reduction (DRR) programs that prepare students and teachers for different disasters.
According to Head Valentin C. Trapela, the school regularly conducts earthquake drills.
“All students and teachers participate in the regular drills, where they pass through the designated routes to evacuate,” Trapela said.
Trapela emphasized the importance of preparing for earthquakes through regular drills, as the province of Leyte is prone to earthquakes, and earthquakes are more difficult to predict.
Barangay Gov. E. Jaro, where the school is located is also prone to flood, being located near Bagahupi River.
But Trapela said it is easier to predict floods. “We can see it coming, and people can make announcements right away. Unlike with earthquakes, there aren’t announcements for that, except when it actually happens, then that’s when you respond. That’s why we focus on having earthquake drills,” Trapela said.
Aside from strengthening the capacity of the school, GEJES has also bolstered its partnership with different agencies for the promotion of volunteerism, humanitarian values, and culture of safety and health through trainings on life saving and first aid.
The local Philippine National Police (PNP) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and the local government unit have been active partners for activities and programs involving disaster risk reduction. These technical assistance strengthens the capacity of the school and help minimize and efficiently respond to the impact of disasters.
This also becomes an opportunity for the school officials to ask the PNP and BFP for evaluations and recommendations, either written or oral, and uses then to improve the program.
“We study the evaluations. Whatever they point as weaknesses, that’s what we keep in mind for improvement. What they point out as okay, that’s what we maintain,” Trapela said.
Every year, GEJES boosts the disaster awareness and preparedness through the conduct of quarterly nationwide simultaneous earthquake drills (NSED).
Trapela meanwhile hoped that GEJES’ DRR programs will equip all members of the GEJES community with the knowledge and skills to prepare for any kind of disaster.
“We urge our students to take earthquake drills seriously so they would know what to do when a strong tremor happens. We also asked them to share what they learned in the drills to their families,” Trapela said.
The Leyte Island fault line is part of the 1,200 kilometer-long Philippine fault zone, a major tectonic feature that transects the while Philippine archipelago from northwestern Luzon to southeastern Mindanao.
The presence of active fault zone have put some areas in Eastern Visayas as high risk to earthquakes.
“As they say, it’s good to be prepared,” he said.
(Note: The author is a Teacher III of Gov. E. Jaro Elementary School in Babatngon District, Babatngon,Leyte)
TACLOBAN CITY-The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) through Director Artemio B. Caneja urged Local Chief Executives (LCEs) in Eastern Visayas especially those outgoing officials to initiate the creation of the Local Governance Transition Team.
Regional Director Caneja revealed that it is imperative to prepare for an effective turnover of responsibility as part of ensuring continuity in local governance, as enunciated by Secretary Eduardo Año.
Pursuant to Memorandum Circular 2019-39, the team is responsible in conducting an inventory of the properties of their respective LGUs. These include the immovable properties such as the land, buildings, infrastructure facilities and its improvements, and machineries made immovable as well as the movable properties like the vehicles, office equipment, furniture, fixtures, and office supply stocks, among others.
Director Caneja said all official documents and/or records of LGU official transactions such as, but not limited to, Governance Assessment Report (CY 2018) and Commission on Audit Report (CY 2018) should be gathered, secured, and preserved by the newly elected and reelected officials.
Furthermore, the officials are directed to conduct turnover of accountabilities using the prescribed forms. They should as well organize a turnover ceremony that will include briefing on the Governance Assessment Report and key challenges to incoming set of officials to ensure a smooth local governance transition.
The DILG8 chief likewise encouraged them to accomplish and submit the Elective Local Official Personal Data Sheet (ELOPDS) not later than July 8 to their respective Human Resource Management Offices, Sanggunian, and DILG city/municipal office.
The newly-elected and reelected officials will also undergo the Program for Newly-Elected Officials (NEO) led by the Local Government Academy (LGA) which will train them on how to become effective leaders.
The NEO Program has five major components which shall be open to all elected local officials. The five components of the program are: (1) Ensuring Smooth Transition; (2) Jumpstarting Local Governance; (3) Creating the Roadmap for LGU Development; (4) Sharpening the Competencies of NEOs and Functionalities; and (5) LGU Performance Management.(PR)
CATBALOGAN CITY- All employees and some field personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways(DPWH)- Samar II joined the simultaneous flag ceremonies synchronized with all government agencies, ground owned and control corporation, and LGUs nationwide during the National Flag Day Celebration.
The same was held on Tuesday, May 28, 2019 at 8:00 AM at the DPWH Compound as consonance with Memorandum Circular No. 2019-76 of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) enjoining DPWH and all Local Government Units (LGU) to conduct Flag Raising Ceremony Nationwide.
According to Pronove Tai website, this event was the first in Philippine history when privately owned business districts and residential villages advanced their flag display ahead of June 12 Independence Day and held simultaneous flag ceremonies to celebrate the National Flag Day.
This is also in line with 120th anniversary when the Philippine Flag was first unfurled by Emilio Aguinaldo to signify victory over Spanish colonialism in a historic battle of Alapan in Imus Cavite.
“Stop and Salute” is the present campaign of Salute to a Clean Flag movement – a non-political citizen’s initiative that aims to reignite patriotism through the abundant and proper display of the Philippine Flag.
This movement aims to spark renewed respect and love for the Philippine flag, through the re-education of the private sector in proper and visible flag management.
This celebration is the year’s project of National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) and Pronov Tai International Property Consultants.
The DPWH issued a memorandum dated May 16, 2019 signed by B. Elizabeth Yap, Assistant Secretary for Support Services, directing all Undersecretaries, Asst. Secretaries, Bureau Directors, Regional Directors, Heads of UPMOs, and District Engineers to actively take part of the said national celebration.
During the flag ceremony, Creole Montallana, Administrative Officer (AO) thanked the DPWH Samar II management and to all employees for showing their respect to the one flag of the country which symbolizes victory and unity of every Filipino.
“I think we succeeded, we were united as one. There was no color, no height, and no odor. At least we are one Filipino saluting to one flag and that is the flag of the Republic of the Philippines”, he said.
(JAIME L.BERNALES/PR)
Tag-abaca Elementary School (TES) is a multigrade school located in the far-flung barangay of Tag-abaca in the municipality of Leyte, Leyte.
In the year 2014 after the typhoon ‘Henry’, the school grounds and buildings developed some cracked and erosions due to heavy rains.
The school head requested the local government unit and Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to conduct ocular inspection of the said school.
Based upon the findings of the MGB, the school site of TES is prone to landslide. The MGB with the implementation of the 2nd phase of the National Geohazard Mapping and Assessment Program aimed at disaster risk reduction had conducted field assessment for landslide and flood hazard sometimes June 18-26, 2014.
Field assessment showed that Brgy. Tag-abaca is one of the villages in Leyte town that are prone to landslides reason for the immediate transfer of the school to safer location.
Consequently, after a month of survey by the MGB, heavy rains occurred which resulted to major ground cracks evidently observed at the site of the school which affected the structural integrity of its buildings.
Presidential Decree 1096 otherwise known as the National Building Code of the Philippine specifically under section 215 provides that when any building or structure found to be dangerous, building officials shall order its repair, vacation, or demolition, depending upon the degree of danger to life, health or safety.
In the case of structures within the school of TES in Brgy. Tag-abaca declared by Municipal Engr. May Wen Beth P. Sabite that buildings to be unsafe for occupancy and immediate transfer of the structures was highly recommended.
The teacher-in-charge of TES, Mrs. Marilou N. Go, initiated in looking/soliciting land donor for the new site for the school for its immediate relocation.
Fortunately, the heirs of Muertegui families donated one hectare for the new school site of TES last 2015.
Finally, last January 2015, TES transferred/relocated to the new site with the help of barangay officials.
At present, TES has a total of 167 pupils, offering Kinder to Grade 6 respectively. The government has a mission to deliver quality and equitable basic education to all Filipino children.
But this government’s vision could not be realized due to lack of conducive classroom buildings for the learners as there are still schools which uses makeshift classrooms.
This shortage of classrooms could be addressed by seeking donations either from government agencies like the Department of Education, local government unit or nongovernment organization.
In the case of TES, the AGAPP Foundation donated one unit two-classrooms and school supplies of the learners.
At the moment, TES has an ongoing two-storey with classroom school building from the Department of Education.
TES is the first recipient school of a two-storey building in the municipality of Leyte.
(Note: The author is he teacher-in-charge of the Tag-abaca Elementary School in Leyte, Leyte)
BORONGAN CITY- The Department of Education (DepEd) has allotted P35 million for the repair of damaged school buildings in San Julian town, Easter Samar.
It can be recalled that on April 23, 2019, a strong earthquake with 6.5 magnitude rocked Eastern Visayas with San Julian town as the epicenter.
Engineers noticed cracks in some bridges and roads right after the quake.
Personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways immediately repaired the roads.
In the schools, a team of DepEd engineers assessed the school buildings.
They have identified classrooms in San Julian Central School, San Julian National High School, Libas Elementary School, Pagbabangnan Elementary School, and Nena National High School as defective and needed repair.
As to the start of the repair, Montallana said, “Repairs will be done immediately once the Special Allotment Release Order (SARO) comes in, I think this June.”
(NBQ/PIA 8-E Samar)
