To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services/Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents
Heads, Public and Private Elementary and Secondary Schools

1. To insure preparedness and to cope with various forms of disasters and calamities that may strike anytime, the Department’s central/regional/division/district and school offices shall submit to the Office of the Director for Administrative Service, DepED Central Office, the list of their respective Calamity, Disaster and Fire Control (CDFC) Groups, following the functional structure specified in the DepED Order No. 25, s. 2005 (copy enclosed).
2. All organized CDFC Groups shall conduct an assessment of all structures and physical facilities within the DepED compound and/or school premises, as the case may be, to evaluate the capacities, and safe-worthiness of the buildings/structures/physical facilities. The group should also designate an area or make available suitable spaces/buildings/tents within the school or DepED premises as evacuation centers. If schoolbuildings are used as evacuation centers during the regular school days, school officials shall schedule the holding of make-up classes in lieu of the suspension of classes of school children whose classrooms were used as evacuation centers.
3. The CDFC Groups shall establish pre-disaster training programs and periodic evacuation/safety drills and exercises. An emergency preparedness evacuation route maps should first be made in advance to orient the participants (DepED personnel and/or school children, as the case may be) on the proper and orderly movement of people and supplies in times of peril.
4. The Regional CDFC Groups shall conduct their respective Training Programs on a yearly basis. For the initial activity, the three (3) days live-in Disaster/Calamity Preparedness Training for the clustered Regional CDFC Groups, are as follows:
   

   Dates	Venue	Participants
   July 12-14, 2006	Teachers Camp, Baguio City	CAR, I, II and III
   July 19-21, 2006	Tagaytay Haven, Tagaytay City	IV-A, IV-B and NCR
   July 26-28, 2006	Ecotech Center, Lahug, Cebu City	VI, VII and VIII
   August 3-5, 2006	RELC, Cagayan de Oro City	IX, X, XI, XII and CARAGA

   The training program should include the conduct of seminar/workshop and orientation on the nature of different calamities/disasters, their causes and prevention and other precautionary measures. If necessary, intensive training seminar on First Aid shall be conducted in all levels.

5. The CDFC Groups shall coordinate with the other agencies in warning people of impending calamities/disasters, especially in remote areas. Heads of CDFC shall coordinate with PAGASA re typhoon signals and coordinate with school officials re automatic suspension of classes following the guidelines in DepED Order No. 28, 2005, “Guidelines on the Suspension of Classes When Typhoon and Other Calamities Occur”.
6. The CDFC shall coordinate with other nongovernment organizations (NGOs) in the provision of emergency relief goods to evacuees and victims of disaster/calamity incidence. The distribution of relief goods must be done in an orderly and systematic manner.
7. All rescue/relief operations and feeding program being conducted in the evacuation area should be reported through media or other possible means of fast communication, for possible assistance.
8. After the occurrence of calamities/disasters, the concerned CDFC Group shall provide briefings to the DepED Secretary and to the Local Disaster Coordinating Council. The report shall include the behavioral response of the school children affected by the calamity and the group’s proposals for rehabilitation.
9. Funding and logistic support shall be provided from:
   1. A portion of DepED general and contingency funds;
   2. Regular MOOE funds;
   3. Supporting agencies which will provide their own fund support; and
   4. Voluntary donations and contributions from the public and private sectors.
10. Enclosed is the Summarized Guidelines on Calamity and Disaster Preparedness.
11. Immediate dissemination of and compliance with this Order is directed.

Encl.: As stated
References: DepED Order: No. 25 and 28, s. 2005
Allotment: 1- -{D.O. 50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index Under the following subjects:
CALAMITIES SAFETY EDUCATION
COMMITTEES TRAINING PROGRAMS

DO_s2006_26