Strengthening the Role of Cluster 3 Elementary Schools in Rosario West Sub - Office on Developing Sustainable Disaster Preparedness

AUTHOR(S)

MARK ANGELO R. MAGTIBAY

ABSTRACT

— Natural disasters often strike suddenly, emphasizing the crucial need for effective preparedness, particularly in key activity centers like elementary schools in the Rosario West SubOffice. These schools bear the responsibility of ensuring safety during emergencies. Given the susceptibility of the Rosario West Sub-Office to various natural and man-made disasters, it’s imperative to bolster the involvement of public schools in fostering preparedness to mitigate potential catastrophes. This basic research aims to strengthen the role of public schools in establishing sustainable disaster preparedness measures. The study focused on five elementary schools within Cluster 3 (PEN Mabunga, Bayawang IS, Mayuro ES, Cahigam ES and Tubahan ES) of the Rosario West Sub-Office, involving 54 teachers and 5 school heads. It assessed the respondents’ competencies in disaster preparedness across three phases: Before, During, and After a disaster. For the second problem, the research utilized frequency distribution, weighted mean, and percentage to provide additional support for the findings. The review underscores several key areas for improving the role of public elementary schools, including: (1) Manifestation of competencies in disaster preparedness before, during and after phases. (2) The schools’ initiatives undertaken to strengthen disaster preparedness. (3) The disaster risk reduction management action plan. To further enhance the role of public schools, it is suggested to empower school heads and teachers, implement strong disaster risk reduction management strategies, elevate the involvement of schools in critical situations, and conduct mapping exercises to identify optimal evacuation locations. Keywords — Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Emergencies, Disaster Risk Reduction