MANILA, Philippines — To reduce fatalities during calamities, the Quezon City government Thursday said it will train parents of school children in the city’s public schools on disaster risk reduction and management.

Mayor Herbert Bautista said the city government will train particularly officials of the Parents and Teachers Associations (PTA) while similar rescue training will be provided to school principals and other teachers.

Bautista directed Division of City Schools Supt. Corazon Rubio to encourage PTA officers and volunteers to participate in training sessions on disaster mitigating activities and rescue operations to make them respond more appropriately to the needs of school children during natural or man-made disasters.

Tadeo Palma, secretary to the city mayor, said Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (QCDRRMC) chairman and Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS) Chief Elmo San Diego will lead the series of re-training of school principals and teachers on disaster mitigation.

Earlier, school principals were trained by QCDRRMC disaster and rescue team in disaster mitigating activities to enhance their response capabilities during emergency situations.

“We must refresh their (school faculties) knowledge and capability in disaster and rescue operation. At the same time, parents of school children should also be included among the rescuers, thus training should be given to them the soonest possible time,” Bautista said.

Palma said the QCDRRMC has conducted a series of disaster mitigating activities in the barangays especially in flood-prone areas of Barangays Gulod, Doña Josefa, San Vicente, Bagong Silangan, Sacred Heart, Del Monte, Roxas, Tatalon and Damayang Lagi.

Orientation courses during the training included urban flood management, water rescue and boat operation, especially in paddling and maneuvering in flood water; techniques in cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, resuscitation, spine board management and artificial respiration; and other disaster and rescue operations training.

The city government also initiated moves to retrofit school buildings to ensure that they can withstand a strong earthquake. In Manila, buildings that had been retrofitted were Quirino Grandstand and Araullo High School.

Earlier, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology warned the possible occurrence of earthquake this year following the non-movement of the West Valley Fault System for more than 200 years. It said it was “ripe” for movement anytime.

"Investing in disaster risk mitigations not only saves lives, it also safeguards our social and economic infrastructure, and helps ensure that livelihoods and businesses in our city are able to progress with less interruption,” Bautista said.

The West Valley Fault, which runs from Sierra Madre through eastern Metro Manila to Southern Tagalog, may move anytime and generate a strong earthquake.

The Department of Public Works and Highways has also made a quick inspection of 1,100 buildings in the metropolis, including Quezon City, based on whether they comply with the National Building Code, or on what earthquake intensity they can withstand. These included hospitals, schools and housing projects.

The bigger problem seen was the low-cost buildings that do not follow the National Building Code. These structures include the homes of informal settlers that are often expanded to accommodate more people beyond their structural capacity, he said.