Senator wants probe of schools’ quake preparedness

A SENATOR on Tuesday called for a Senate inquiry into the structural integrity of local schools in the event of strong earthquakes, after consecutive tremors rocked the country.

“It is important to know how prepared and resilient our schools are to strong earthquakes for the safety of students, teachers, parents, and others who work in schools,” Senator Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV said in a statement.

He added that the potential probe will determine the extent of the damage caused by recent earthquakes and the measures being implemented by concerned agencies to ensure that affected schools can safely resume classes.

Mr. Aquino said that he is planning to file a resolution in the upper chamber to formalize the Senate probe.

“We also need to know the actions taken by government agencies to repair school buildings and classrooms so that our students can use them as soon as possible and so that their studies are not interrupted,” he added.

The senator said that he also seeks to tackle potential measures to strengthen disaster preparedness and resilience in schools.

It includes regular safety inspections, the regular conduct of earthquake drills and evacuation protocols, and the placement of earthquake emergency kits.

Mr. Aquino added that he will also push for an additional budget for the Education department for the inspection and assessment of public-school buildings to ensure their structural integrity.

“Let’s not gamble with the lives of our countrymen. It is better to ensure the preparedness and safety of our school buildings against earthquakes,” he said.

Successive earthquakes rocked various parts of the country recently, causing death and extensive property damage. — Adrian H. Halili