Phl school is 2nd in ASEAN disaster response competition

An elementary school in Negros Occidental won second place in the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (Seameo)-Japan Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Award, which gives recognition to schools that have put in place educational activities to reduce risk and loss from natural disasters.

The winning Philippine entry is Iliranan Elementary School in Barangay Codcod, San Carlos City, Negros Occidental where 439 students and 15 teachers from kindergarten to Grade 6 participated under principal Gary Magnanao, the Department of Education (DepEd) said.

The title of the school’s activity and program is Iliranan Disaster Education Program (IDEP) and School and Community Always Prepared and Equipped for Disaster (Scaped).

It bested some 70 entries from South East Asia including 17 other contenders from the Philippines in the search which carries the theme “Education for Disaster Risk Reduction.”

The honor is shared by all Philippine schools which make emergency response drill part of their school activity, Education Secretary Armin A. Luistro said.

“We have always emphasized that conducting an emergency response drill is not just a matter of compliance but an activity to be taken seriously to save lives and limbs,” Luistro said.

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (Seameo) and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan, in cooperation with UNESCO Asia and Pacific Regional Bureau for Education and the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. have sent words of congratulations to all awardees and schools that participated in the awards.

The first placer is State High School No.1 of Kungyangon, Myanmar and third place went to MIN Jejeran (Jejeran State Islamic Elementary School) of Indonesia. A Special Prize from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. for the best Disaster Risk Reduction activity carried out in small schools of less than 150 students went to Wat Soumpouathong School, Thailand.

(Photo courtesy of the Department of Foreign Affairs)