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PASIG CITY, July 17, 2023 – Ensuring that the agency is adequately equipped amidst disasters and emergencies, the Department of Education (DepEd) gathered officials and members of the Management Committee (Mancom) for the orientation on the concepts of Public Service Continuity Plan (PSCP) on July 12.

Spearheaded by the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Service (DRRMS), the orientation seeks to guide the officials in crafting the Department’s own PSCP, which would cover strategies and mechanisms of a government agency or organization to ensure uninterrupted operations and improved response in times of any disruptions, emergencies or disasters.

“Itong month [National Disaster Resilience Month] na to pinapaalala sa atin that it is not a question of if it [disaster] happens, but it is a question of when it happens, kailan siya mangyayari. What we can only do, what we can only control is in terms of preparation,” DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) Director Atty. Christian E. Rivero.

Office of Civil Defense representative Raffy Lucas emphasized that continuity planning supports the continuing execution of vital duties through rapid and orderly recovery, eliminates disruptions to operations, and ensures succession to agency leadership during disasters and disruptions.

In formulating the agency’s PSCP, Lucas highlighted that the Department must know their risks and their resulting impacts, their essential roles, recovery time objective, continuity strategies, resource requirements, and ensure plan viability through exercises and testing.

In line with the theme “BIDAng Pilipino: Building a Stronger Filipino Well-being towards Disaster Resilience,” DRRMS also conducted the “Ready at Work, Ready at Home: A Resilience Forum” that acknowledges the importance of one’s well-being in strengthening resilience and preparedness for disasters and other emergencies. The forum was attended by DepEd Central Office Disaster Management Group (DMG) members, and other personnel.

Gladys Canillo, registered psychologist and psychometrician of the Psychological Association of the Philippines, emphasized the need to ensure the well-being of teachers and other DepEd workers who take care of over 28 million learners.

Meanwhile, Germaine Ramirez, Learning and Development Supervisor from the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), discussed the significance of being prepared, which can help save lives, minimize damage and cost for recovery, prevent loss of assets, ensure community resilience, economic stability, and enhance response capability.

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