NEWS RELEASE|| September 3, 2026-𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝘁 𝗕𝗖𝗦𝗔𝗧 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀, 𝗠𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲
Sep 7, 2026 - 3 minutes read
BUTUAN CITY — 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀 (𝗕𝗖𝗦𝗔𝗧) 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟯, 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟳:𝟯𝟬 𝗮.𝗺. 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟮:𝟬𝟬 𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗻.
𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀
The activity tested and strengthened the school's emergency preparedness and response mechanisms while providing learners, school personnel, and partner agencies with an opportunity to practice coordinated action during emergencies. It also emphasized the importance of clear response procedures, effective communication, timely coordination, and the readiness of schools and stakeholders to respond to potential hazards.
The drill was conducted by the Butuan City Police Office (BCPO), led by Police Colonel Richie M. Yatar, in coordination with the Schools Division of Butuan City, headed by Schools Division Superintendent Minerva T. Albis; BCSAT Principal III Gewaresel Tecson Carlos; and DRRM Coordinator Emelio Makiling Jr.
Supporting the activity were representatives from the Butuan City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Bureau of Fire Protection, barangay government, and various DepEd offices and program areas.
𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲
Following the drill, participating officials and stakeholders convened at the BCSAT Literacy Hub for a post-activity assessment, where they reviewed the execution of the exercise, identified operational gaps, and discussed measures to further strengthen school emergency preparedness and response.
The assessment provided an opportunity for the participating agencies to evaluate the effectiveness of existing procedures and determine areas requiring further improvement based on the observations made during the simulation.
𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
Among the key points raised during the discussion was the need to develop and strengthen a localized contingency plan responsive to the specific risks and conditions of the school and its surrounding community.
Participants likewise emphasized the importance of strengthening preparedness measures and identifying the logistical requirements necessary to support an effective emergency response. Sustained coordination with stakeholders and technical experts was also identified as essential to ensuring that emergency procedures are informed, practical, and responsive to actual conditions on the ground.
The multi-agency officials further underscored the importance of activating and strengthening the School DRRM Team to ensure that clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and response mechanisms are in place before an emergency occurs.
Multi-agency officials also emphasized the need for sustained coordination with stakeholders and technical experts to ensure that emergency procedures are informed by appropriate expertise and can be effectively implemented when needed. The discussion further highlighted the importance of activating and strengthening the School DRRM Team to ensure that clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and response mechanisms are in place.
𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁
Through the post-activity assessment, the participating agencies transformed the drill from a simulation into an opportunity for continuous improvement, recognizing that effective school safety depends not only on conducting emergency exercises but also on identifying gaps, refining plans, strengthening coordination, and ensuring that preparedness measures are responsive to actual conditions.
The Nationwide Simultaneous School Safety Drill at BCSAT reinforced the shared responsibility of schools, government agencies, local communities, and other stakeholders in building safer and more prepared learning environments where the welfare and protection of every learner remain a priority.
By: The Public Affairs Unit
DepEd Caraga
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For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph
#SchoolSafety #DepEd #DRRM #LigtasNaPaaralan #NationwideSimultaneousSchoolSafetyDrill
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