Q1: Why is there a need for disaster preparedness?<\/b><\/p>\n
A study, which was conducted jointly with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),\u00a0analyzed possible earthquake scenarios in Metro Manila, including an intensity 7.2 earthquake\u00a0generated by the West Valley Fault. Studies show that the West Valley Fault has moved 4 times\u00a0and generated strong earthquakes within the last 1400 years. The approximate return period of\u00a0these earthquakes is less than 500 years and no event along the West Valley Fault is known after\u00a017th century, which may mean that the active phases of the Valley Faults is approaching.<\/p>\n
In that intensity 7.2 earthquake scenario, around 13% of residential buildings, 10% of public and\u00a0mid-rise buildings, and 2% of very high-rise buildings can be heavily affected or damaged by the\u00a0earthquake. This does not include the effect on the network of roads and bridges and the\u00a0infrastructure that will impact the mobility of people (e.g., the ability of parents to fetch children)\u00a0and the ability to communicate (i.e., if cell sites are also damaged) in the aftermath of an\u00a0earthquake.<\/p>\n
While earthquakes remain to be unpredictable, and we continue to pray that a major earthquake\u00a0does not hit Metro Manila in our lifetime, the administration of De La Salle Santiago Zobel\u00a0School, Inc. (DLSZ<\/i><\/b>) believes that these studies merit serious attention from, and preparations\u00a0involving, the entire school community. In fact, DLSZ has formulated a disaster preparedness\u00a0and management plan (the Plan<\/i><\/b>) and is currently fine tuning and setting up the entire community\u00a0for the implementation of the Plan. The disaster preparedness seminar and workshop (the\u00a0Seminar<\/i><\/b>) is part of the Plan. The DLSZ administration formulated the Plan and is organizing the\u00a0Seminar in close consultation and with the support of officers of the DLSZ (De La Salle Santiago\u00a0Zobel School) Parents Association, Inc. (PA<\/i><\/b>).<\/p>\n
Q2: Of course, we care about the safety of our children. In fact, I have read about\u00a0<\/b>earthquakes and disaster preparedness in the internet and other sources. What can the\u00a0<\/b>speakers tell me that I do not know or cannot read about in the comforts of my home?<\/b><\/p>\n
Although the Internet should not be relied upon as a sole source of information, there are\u00a0probably a good number of websites that contain information on earthquakes and provide\u00a0background information. However, one important focus of the Seminar will be the details of the\u00a0Plan, such as how the students will be organized, what provisions and resources (e.g., logistics,\u00a0equipment, supplies) the school will have, how students will be released or reunited with their\u00a0parents and families, where students will be held if parents and families are unable to reach\u00a0DLSZ, etc. These details are not available on the Internet.<\/p>\n
Q3: Why make it mandatory?<\/b><\/p>\n
The DLSZ administration believes that the Plan cannot be effectively implemented unless\u00a0parents and guardians of DLSZ students are thoroughly oriented regarding the details of the Plan.\u00a0While copies of the Plan can be circulated, common experience indicates that parents and\u00a0guardians are not likely to read big documents carefully and their thorough understanding of the\u00a0details of the Plan cannot be left to chance.<\/p>\n
In the context of a major earthquake, the Plan covers the activities that will take place following\u00a0an earthquake, including (i) evacuating students and taking them to a relatively safe location on\u00a0campus, (ii) reuniting siblings, (iii) giving victims access to first aid and medical treatment,\u00a0whether onsite or at facilities to which victims may be taken, as necessary, (iv) releasing students\u00a0to parents and guardians, or to other parties (e.g., relative or co-parents residing in Ayala\u00a0Alabang Village) with the authority of parents and guardians, where damages to the road\u00a0network keep parents and guardians from reaching DLSZ, (v) accounting for, and providing for\u00a0the needs of, students who will remain on campus, and (vi) communicating among the\u00a0community when cellular sites are affected and mobile phones cease to work\u2014all of which\u00a0require planning.<\/p>\n
In the Plan, every member of the community would have a role to play in case a major\u00a0earthquake strikes. Lack of information on the part of any member of the community will hinder\u00a0the success of the Plan. For example, a misinformed parent who would not know where to meet\u00a0their children after a disaster strikes may require or demand help at a time when school officials\u00a0and volunteers with limited time and resources have to focus on critical matters.\u00a0Thus, with the support of the PA, the school administration has deemed it best to require parents\u00a0and guardians to attend the Seminar.<\/p>\n
Q4: I already attended other disaster preparedness seminars in the office and also in our\u00a0<\/b>village. What makes the DLSZ disaster preparedness seminar any different?<\/b><\/p>\n
You may have attended similar seminars in your office or your village and have instructed your\u00a0children on what to do in case a disaster strikes but the topics to be discussed are concerns\u00a0unique to DLSZ parents and guardians.<\/p>\n
Aside from covering disaster preparedness skills, the Seminar will also cover the following\u00a0details of the Plan:<\/p>\n
(1) Evacuation;<\/p>\n
(2) Family reunification and release procedures;<\/p>\n
(3) West Valley Fault map reading – see which roads will be cut-off preventing you\u00a0from reaching your home or DLSZ;<\/p>\n
(4) Contingent events (e.g., alternative course of action if Ayala Alabang Village\u00a0(AAV) would not be accessible after a major earthquake.<\/p>\n
Q5: Who are these consultants?<\/b><\/p>\n
DLSZ has engaged the services of:<\/p>\n
(1) Foresight Life Resilience Corporation, a company that provides various services, including\u00a0disaster reduction management, security, search and rescue training, business continuity planning\u00a0and other related services (Foresight). Consultants at Foresight are disaster management experts,\u00a0including a former navy official, and a business continuity planner who have real on the ground\u00a0experience in planning for contingencies, who have real experience in rescue and relief\u00a0operations in past major earthquakes and disasters in the country.<\/p>\n
(2) As project manager, Mr. Eduardo C. Manarpiis, a freelance security consultant, who is a\u00a0former army lieutenant, a former security head of a multinational logistics company, and a\u00a0former prefect of discipline and security head of a major school in Greenhills.<\/p>\n
Foresight was engaged to (i) review drafts of DLSZ\u2019s initial disaster plan that was drafted inhouse,\u00a0(ii) propose revisions to the plan in accordance with industry standards and best practices,\u00a0and (iii) prepare the school community, including the administration, the PA, students, parents,\u00a0guardians and external organizations, the preparation of which includes workshops for faculty,\u00a0staff, parents and guardians. The project manager is involved in fine-tuning the Plan and is\u00a0overseeing and coordinating the implementation of preparatory measures detailed in the Plan,\u00a0including the procurement and deployment of supplies and equipment, organizing and training\u00a0school personnel and volunteers for various roles, and ensuring continuity in the school\u2019s\u00a0implementation and compliance with the Plan from year to year.<\/p>\n
PA officers and volunteers were involved in the process of selecting and engaging these\u00a0consultants, as the school solicited input from parents. In fact, because of the growing concerns\u00a0of parents and guardians about the sufficiency of the school\u2019s disaster preparedness measures,\u00a0the PA fully supported the school\u2019s initiatives and encouraged the engagement of external\u00a0consultants.<\/p>\n
Q6: Why not avail of the services of volunteers?<\/b><\/p>\n
Many volunteers, including parents and staff, are behind the school\u2019s disaster management\u00a0program; however, the DLSZ administration, with the support of the PA, has made the\u00a0determination that disaster preparedness requires the help of professionals who have the relevant\u00a0expertise and experience and who will focus on the various aspects of disaster preparedness.<\/p>\n
Q7: Why does the school have to charge for disaster preparedness? We\u2019ve paid tuition fees\u00a0<\/b>and developmental fees. Those fees should cover disaster preparedness.<\/b><\/p>\n
A primary and secondary school is not likely to have sufficient in-house expertise in, and readily\u00a0available resources for, disaster preparedness. Thus, DLSZ has engaged the services of\u00a0experienced professionals in formulating the Plan, in fine tuning and implementing the details of\u00a0the Plan, and in training and organizing members of the community in accordance with the Plan.\u00a0DLSZ has also procured and is in the process of procuring supplies and equipment in\u00a0accordance with the Plan.<\/p>\n
While the school charges significant amounts in tuition and development fees, those fees are\u00a0allocated to various operational and capital requirements of the school, such as salaries,\u00a0equipment, utilities, services, maintenance of physical resources, etc. Since disaster preparedness\u00a0for a major earthquake is beyond the school\u2019s regular operations and budget, the school needs\u00a0financial resources to defray the costs necessary to formulate and implement the Plan. The\u00a0school has made budgetary adjustments to accommodate some of the costs entailed by these\u00a0initiatives; however, there are currently no sufficient resources to cover all costs associated with\u00a0disaster preparedness.<\/p>\n
Q8: Why charge P1,100? It\u2019s too much for us.<\/b><\/p>\n
The P1,100 fee will cover the fees charged by Foresight at cost, i.e., DLSZ and the PA are not\u00a0marking-up the fees of Foresight. While the school has absorbed certain costs relating to disaster\u00a0preparedness, the school is unable to absorb the fees payable to Foresight, and possibly other\u00a0costs, because the amount was not budgeted and must be sourced externally.<\/p>\n
In consultation with the PA, the DLSZ administration believes that the amount of P1,100 is\u00a0reasonable considering the amount of time that Foresight has devoted to reviewing and\u00a0proposing revisions to the Plan, and preparing for and conducting the Seminar\u2014and considering\u00a0that the Plan and the Seminar, ultimately, seek to protect the lives and safety of our students.<\/p>\n
Q9: Why require four (4) household members to attend? What if our household has only\u00a0<\/b>3 members? Do we get a refund for sending one (1) less household member?<\/b><\/p>\n
The P1,100 fee was priced based on the number of families that will be required to attend. Each\u00a0family needs to be represented by parents and guardians and students at least 13 years of age.\u00a0The maximum number of attendees was set at the maximum number of 4 per family because it\u00a0will be difficult to manage the seminars if each family will be given a free hand to send a\u00a0limitless number of attendees to the Seminar.<\/p>\n
Q10: Why do the seminars have to be scheduled according to our kids\u2019 year level?<\/b><\/p>\n
The seminars are scheduled according to grade\/year level for the following reasons:<\/p>\n
(1) In each session, the speakers will present evacuation plans and other details that are specific\u00a0to the likely location of each class. The school would be better prepared if parents and guardians\u00a0understood the evacuation and other related plans in greater detail.<\/p>\n
(2) Parents and guardians of students in a particular year level will need to work closely together\u00a0in case of emergencies. Thus, having them attend seminars together will give them an\u00a0opportunity to get to know each other better.<\/p>\n
Q11: If I cannot attend the scheduled seminar for my child\u2019s year level, what options\u00a0<\/b>would I have?<\/b><\/p>\n
After all the currently scheduled Seminars are conducted, the school will determine how many\u00a0have not attended and will schedule additional Seminars on an as needed basis. There is no\u00a0certainty as to when additional seminars will be conducted. Thus, parents and guardians are\u00a0urged to exert best effort to attend the Seminars scheduled. If not, the inability of parents and\u00a0guardians needs to be relayed to the school to give the school an early opportunity to reschedule\u00a0the parents\u2019 and guardians\u2019 Seminar.<\/p>\n
Q12: If I have more than one child at DLSZ, which session should I attend?<\/b><\/p>\n
If you have a choice, you should attend the seminar for your oldest child because the oldest child\u00a0is likely to be the one who will track down his siblings. Thus, given your eldest child\u2019s role if a\u00a0major earthquake strikes will be important and that child may need more support from parents\u00a0and guardians, as the case may be.<\/p>\n
Q14: Why are other schools not charging parents?<\/b><\/p>\n
Each school approaches issues and problems differently. Several schools have engaged Foresight\u00a0to assist with disaster preparedness matters and charged the parents P1,500. We are aware of a\u00a0school that partially absorbed the cost of the seminars but only a few parents were required to\u00a0attend and that school is presumably taking on the responsibility of orienting the parents of the\u00a0school\u2019s disaster management plan. DLSZ has taken a position that it cannot be responsible for\u00a0the parents and guardians thoroughly understanding the details of, and being prepared to perform\u00a0their roles under, the Plan; thus, DLSZ believes that all households must be represented.<\/p>\n
Q15: Thank you for the information. Some parents are skeptical because all these have not\u00a0<\/b>been explained.<\/b><\/p>\n
The process for putting in place the school\u2019s disaster preparedness and management program is\u00a0not simple, as explained above, and takes time to explain.<\/p>\n
At the last general assembly of parents and guardians, the PA gave an overview of what the\u00a0school is doing. Foresight\u2019s senior consultant also spoke at that event. The Seminar was\u00a0designed and scheduled to give the school an opportunity to orient parents regarding the Plan.\u00a0Until parents and guardians are able to attend the Seminar, there will be unanswered questions.<\/p>\n
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION ON DISASTER PREPAREDNESS SEMINAR AND WORKSHOP<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Q16: There seems to be some resistance from some of my co-parents against the seminars being conducted by Foresight Life Resilience Corp. Can you describe how these seminars fit within DLSZ\u2019s disaster risk reduction and management program and initiatives?<\/strong> Parents\u2019 and guardians\u2019 attendance at the seminars are of critical importance because the safety of the children in the aftermath of a major earthquake is in part hinged upon who will look after their safety within the next 72 hours after an earthquake strikes. The seminar focuses on, among other things, the process developed by DLSZ (subject to the consent and authorization of parents and guardians) for releasing students to parents, guardians, fetchers, relatives and friends, the Hosting Plan and other preparatory measures, such as procuring and maintaining food, water, medicine and supplies, security issues that may arise in case lawlessness arises, etc. If parents and guardians will not be oriented, there will be a need to assist them during an actual emergency, which will take a significant amount of limited resources away from other urgent relief efforts. Q1: Why is there a need for disaster preparedness? A study, which was conducted jointly with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),\u00a0analyzed possible earthquake scenarios in Metro Manila, including an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[5,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family-portal","category-in-the-community"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nDLSZ has taken concrete steps toward managing risks that may arise in case of a major earthquake. While earthquakes cannot be predicted, potential damages can be reasonably projected. If a major earthquake strikes Metro Manila, there are well-grounded fears that buildings, roads and bridges will collapse, water pipes will break, communication lines (including cellular sites) will be cut, and fire may breakout, among other effects.
\nIf an earthquake strikes during school hours, it is possible that parents, guardians and fetchers may not be able to travel to the DLSZ campus immediately to reunite with their children. For example, if a parent is working or attending a meeting in the Makati Business District, the parent\u2019s ability to come to Alabang or call DLSZ may be hindered by a massive traffic jam caused by a collapsed bridge or by road ruptures.
\nDLSZ\u2019s disaster risk reduction management program and initiatives are outlined as follows:<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\nQ17: What is the Hosting Plan? Is it mandatory that every student participate in the Hosting Plan?<\/strong>
\nAs briefly explained above, in case of a major earthquake, it is, according to studies, possible that roads and bridges will collapse and communication lines (including cellular sites) will be cut\u2014in which case, parents, guardians and fetchers may be unable to reach DLSZ to immediately fetch the students. In that situation, children who will not be fetched immediately and will be left waiting in school will be exposed to a myriad of risks, including the possibility that the school\u2019s resources may be depleted in no time.
\nUnder a hosting plan, parents and guardians will be given the option to authorize the school to release children who meet certain criteria to relatives and friends who live in Ayala Alabang Village (Hosting Plan<\/em><\/strong>). By participating in the Hosting Plan, the students may be cared for by such relatives and friends until parents and guardians are able to reach Ayala Alabang to fetch the children.
\nThe Hosting Plan is not mandatory<\/em>. DLSZ understands that authorizing the release of students to others entails an enormous amount of trust on the part of parents or guardians. Since trust cannot be imposed, the school made an early determination that the Hosting Plan mandatory. In fact, the school will only release students to host families with express authorization and a declaration of understanding of the concomitant risks from parents and guardians. However, since a major earthquake poses a real risk that parents and guardians may not be able to reach Ayala Alabang within a reasonable amount of time, parents and guardians are strongly encouraged to identify relatives and friends who live in Ayala Alabang Village whom they can trust and to whom the release of their children they would authorize.
\nDetails of the Hosting Plan will be provided soon.
\nQ18:\u00a0\u00a0 I understand that these seminars are intended for our children\u2019s safety. However, it is difficult for some parents and guardians to attend the scheduled seminars given various commitments, especially those of parents and guardians who have full-time jobs. What will happen if we are not available to attend any of the scheduled seminars?<\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>
\nThe seminars were initially designed to be conducted on a per year level basis. However, given the clamor for flexibility, the scheduled seminars will now be open for sign up to parents, guardians and other household members regardless of the year level of the students. DLSZ hopes that the flexibility will now enable everyone to attend the seminars.
\nNevertheless, if a substantial amount of parents and guardians would not be able to attend the scheduled seminars, DLSZ and Foresight will exert best effort to schedule additional seminars.
\nHowever, if a parent or guardian simply refuses to or is simply unable to attend the seminar, the parent or guardian must communicate such refusal to DLSZ, and will be required by DLSZ to sign, a document (the Waiver<\/em><\/strong>) that consists of (i) an express declaration of intention not to attend the seminars, (ii) a manifestation that the effects and consequences of non-attendance are fully understood, and (iii) a waiver that will release the DLSZ from any and all claims or liabilities that the parent or guardian may have as a result of or in relation to the effect of the parent\u2019s or guardian\u2019s non-attendance at the seminar, including their failure to instruct the students regarding details of the Plan.
\nQ19: The seminar fees are too expensive for some parents. Did the school not consider the financial limitations of some parents?<\/strong>
\nA parent should not miss the seminar solely due to financial difficulties. Parents and guardians who have financial difficulties are requested to write the school and request a reconsideration of the fees with a detailed explanation for the request. The request will be evaluated on a case by case basis. If the school finds the explanation to be meritorious, the school will have the option to offer financial assistance or waive the fees. The officers and directors of the DLSZ (De La Salle Santiago Zobel School) Parents Association, Inc. (PA<\/em><\/strong>) have also agreed to help find financial resources to assist families with financial difficulties in covering the cost of the seminar.
\nQ20: Since DLSZ is charging a lot for tuition and development fees, the seminar fees should just be absorbed by DLSZ. Is this is another money making scheme?<\/strong>
\nDLSZ is not profiting from the seminars or the Plan. In fact, DLSZ is defraying the cost of many aspects of the Plan, such as the fees paid to the project manager, the cost of the communication equipment and other supplies, the storage facilities for the supplies, the professional fees of the engineering firm. It is estimated that the total costs will range between 8 Million to 10 Million Pesos, Philippine currency. The fees for the seminars will be approximately 1\/5 of the total cost.
\nThe decision to engage Foresight was made by the DLSZ administration after considering the need for specialized expertise and the timeline within which DLSZ needed to adopt and implement a disaster risk reduction and management plan. Upon evaluating Foresight\u2019s proposal, the administration made the determination that Foresight meets the school\u2019s needs and requirements.
\nDLSZ will not pay Foresight any amount because Foresight\u2019s pricing model is structured around seminar fees, even as Foresight\u2019s services include reviewing the Plan, recommending solutions (e.g. the Hosting Plan) and providing oversight to DLSZ\u2019s implementation of the Plan without additional costs.
\nWhile Foresight has agreed to lower the seminar fees from P1,500 to P1,100 upon DLSZ\u2019s and the PA\u2019s request, some parents have directly asked DLSZ to cover the seminar fess; however, it is regretfully beyond DLSZ\u2019s resources to pay for the seminar fees in addition to all other costs associated with the Plan. Notwithstanding the amount of tuition and developmental fees that DLSZ charges, the total fees are budgeted for various expenditures of the school and DLSZ did not allocate funds for significant costs, such as professional or consultant fees, cost of equipment and supplies, and the like.
\nQ21: What is the school\u2019s policy regarding parents or guardians who refuse or do not attend Foresight\u2019s seminar, and refuse to sign the Waiver?<\/strong>
\nThe seminar fees will be charged to parents or guardians who do not attend and refuse to sign the Waiver. Subject to the financial assistance that DLSZ or the PA may extend on a case by case basis, parents and guardians\u2014who do not expressly declare an intention not to attend the seminar following prescribed formalities\u2014will be deemed or implied to have agreed to attend the seminars and will be legally obligated to pay the seminar fees.
\nAs a general policy, DLSZ does not intend to impose academic consequence upon students whose parents and guardians refuse to participate in DLSZ\u2019s disaster risk reduction and management plan and initiatives. However, in case of delinquency in paying the fees, DLSZ cannot simply release parents and guardians from the financial obligation; DLSZ will evaluate cases of delinquency on a case by case basis based on any explanation provided and the relevant laws, rules and regulations, of the Department of Education, including provisions on withholding transfer credentials for non-payment of financial obligations.
\n\u00a0<\/strong>Q22: Since it is the school\u2019s responsibility to ensure the student\u2019s safety in case of disasters or emergencies, the school will be liable for whatever happens to students regardless of the parents\u2019 and guardians\u2019 attendance at these seminars.<\/strong>
\nDLSZ is cognizant of (i) the provision under the Family Code of the Philippines that the school, its administrators and teachers exercise special parental authority and responsibility over the minor child while under their supervision, instruction or custody, and (ii) the scope and limitations of such authority and responsibility in the context of a fortuitous event where the school has exercised proper diligence under the particular circumstances.
\nThus, from a risk management perspective, DLSZ is evaluating its liability insurance coverage, has engaged the services of professionals in various fields (e.g., disaster management, engineering, legal, etc.), and has formulated and is implementing the Plan.
\nHowever, because the Plan involves human lives, DLSZ would like to go beyond the technicalities of financial liability and policy formulation. The faculty and staff of DLSZ would like to exert best effort to make the implementation of the Plan as successful as possible, and to enjoin the parents and guardians to support the school\u2019s efforts.
\nQ23: Thank you for the supplemental information. Some parents continue to be skeptical because all these have not been explained.<\/strong>
\nAs previously stated, DLSZ understands that the process for putting in place the school\u2019s disaster risk reduction and management program is not simple, and takes time to explain. \u00a0At the last general assembly of parents and guardians, the PA gave an overview of what the school is doing to prepare for calamities. \u00a0Foresight\u2019s senior consultant also spoke at that event. \u00a0The school has also circulated an FAQ document that sought to answer typical questions emanating from parents and guardians. This supplemental FAQ is another attempt to provide clarificatory explanations. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please email adcomm@dlszobel.edu.ph or call the Advancement and Communications Office at 7713579 loc. 748. You may also contact your PA level rep who will be glad to answer questions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"