Quake responses in schools

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Television reports late yesterday said that an earthquake that had measured at 6.3 magnitude had hit Batanes Island in Northern Philippines. As of press time, thankfully, no casualties had been reported and this could be because the temblor had hit a coastal area which must be sparsely populated, or, if indeed, had people living nearby, they must have been housed in dwellings of light materials that could not have caused major injuries.

As of the latest report, no aftershocks had been noted, but then, the bulletins from the area had not been intensive. Perhaps today’s news will tell us more about the extent of the earthquake.

We do not want to be alarmists and rouse fear in our people about such calamities as earthquakes. However, in the light of what have been happening in some parts of the world lately, with the worst of it taking place in China, we believe that it will not do us any harm to, once more, remind our people about the measures to be taken to ensure their safety and survival in the event that earthquakes occur. The Boy Scout motto of “Be Prepared” should serve us very well, and even if we hope and pray that we do not experience such a fearsome occurrence, we should, at least, know by heart how to act, and act promptly.

One of the areas that should be focused on are the schools where young people, especially children, spend a good part of the day. Since schools are opening in a few days, school officials should immediately direct their teachers to initiate training and drills of the children under their care on how to behave and how to save themselves from possible injury, or worse. This is something that the Department of Education should prioritize, and waste no time in implementing, because, while we can now anticipate typhoons, earthquakes are a different matter.*