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Philippines

Disaster council wants integration of DRR-CCA in school curriculum

Oliver T. Baccay

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, June 18 (PIA) - - Members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) here are pushing for the integration of Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (DRR-CCA) lessons into the basic curriculum of public and private schools regionwide.

Enrico Tambis, disaster action officer of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), said they pushed for the integration of the DRR-CCA lessons in the curriculum of local schools to further expand public awareness on the matter.

He said the students must be well-acquainted with the causes and effects of climate change as well as in disaster management.

“Given that schools are prone and expose to various types of natural disasters, thus, the need to integrate disaster management courses and other disaster-related programs in school curriculum in order to strengthen the student’s capacity for disaster risk reduction and management,” Tambis said.

Norma Talosig, civil defense regional director, said that Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 requires the academe to support the thrust of disaster risk reduction and management.

However, she said that there is a need to develop a clear policy on the integration of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation in schools' basic curriculum.

Talosig added that the policy should include regular conduct of earthquake, fire, tsunami and other disaster-related drills, course contents on climate change mitigation, preparedness, response and rehabilitation, hydro and meteorological hazards and other vulnerabilities. (ALM/OTB/PIA-2 Cagayan)