In disasters like earthquakes and tsunamis, children are the most vulnerable and the most likely casualties. That is why the government launched an earthquake preparedness program that aims to prepare communities deal with disasters.

“If a child learns how to be able to protect himself during a strong earthquake, this is a lifelong skill that he will bring until is he grown,” officials of the Department of Science and Technology said during the launching of the program.

The DOST and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology partnered with UNESCO-Jakarta in coming out with instructional materials.

The devastating 1990 earthquake in the Philippines and the 2004 earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia resulted in an information exchange between countries around the Indian Ocean and inspired collaborating agencies to produce information materials to prepare  schools and communities for possible disasters. The materials come in flashcards, brochures, flyers, posters, stickers, and glossary book.

PHILVOLCS adapted five materials, namely: Aahh…Ngayon alam ko na, Mga 11 dapat gawin kapag may lindol (teaching aids); Talahuluganan ng Tsunami (Tsunami Glossary); Tsunami Teacher DVD; Tsunami sticker. These materials were distributed in a pilot project in Pagadian City last January and Malabon and Navotas through trainings conducted for teachers and through Navotas Daycare Center workers.

The materials are step-by-step instructions to help authorities, teachers and community leaders guide residents on how to prepare earthquake and tsunami evacuation plans. These include basic tsunami information, tsunami hazard and risk mapping, evacuation planning, tsunami signage and tsunami drill.

The development and creation of the IEC materials is part of the “Tsunami Awareness and Preparedness Assessment Project,” a UNESCO-UNESCAP project in collaboration with the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Timor Leste.

The colorful visual materials were adapted and translated from Bahasa into Filipino and local dialects. The flashcards are also tailored for use by  the hearing-impaired.