CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – Apparently learning the lessons from the southwest monsoons or habagat last year, when classrooms suffered as much from the floodings as from their use as evacuation centers, the Department of Education (DepEd) Pampanga said on Friday that public schools can no longer be used as evacuation centers.
With this development, Gov. Lilia G. Pineda ordered municipal disaster action officers, municipal engineers and other members of the disaster management councils to fasttrack the identification of areas in their respective municipalities which can be used as evacuation centers.
At the disaster preparedness meeting of the provincial disaster risk reduction management council ((PDRRMC), Malcom Garma, DepEd Pampanga school superintendent, said the agency had forged an agreement with local government units whereby classrooms and the school vicinity will no longer cater to evacuees unless in “cases of emergencies” and “only for a short period of time.”
“Schools can only be used as pick up points for evacuees but not as evacuation centers,” Garma added.
Previous experience, he said, showed the schools were adversely affected with their use as evacuation centers, necessitating their own rehabilitation and repair, and the continuity of classes gravely affected, if not totally stopped.
“How can we repair and rehabilitate our schools if there are evacuees. Classrooms are occupied thus classes are affected,” lamented Garma.
Pineda took immediate note of Garma’s report and instructed those present to “”act promptly on this matter.”
“It is very crucial to look for alternative evacuation centers not prone to flood, elevated and accessible for evacuation and relief operation,” Pineda ordered.
A report from the Provincial Information Office said the governor, along with executives of the National Housing Authority (NHA), has inspected sites for potential evacuation centers.
These included unutilized NHA properties in Barangays San Isidro in Magalang town, Telepayong in Arayat town and two separate lots in Floridablanca town.
The governor was quoted as saying she had a plan to construct temporary shelters with basic facilities and amenities in the evacuation centers.
