The Mandaue City Government has begun distributing thousands of hard hats to public schools as part of its efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness and improve student safety during emergencies.
An initial 5,000 hard hats were turned over to Mandaue City Central School on June 30 under a citywide initiative that aims to distribute a total of 15,000 hard hats to public schools across Mandaue City.
The program was launched by the Mandaue City Government in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) Mandaue City Division following recent earthquakes that renewed concerns over school safety.
Mandaue City Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano, DepEd Mandaue City Division Superintendent Dr. Bianito Dagatan, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head Buddy Ybañez, school officials, and faculty members attended the ceremonial turnover at Mandaue City Central School.
In a Facebook post, Ouano said disaster preparedness remains a priority for the city government.
“We cannot prevent disasters, but we can make sure our schools are prepared. In Mandaue, safety will always be a priority,” he said.
Mandaue City Central School Assistant Principal and Head Teacher Phillip Racoma said the hard hats will help protect both teachers and students during earthquakes and other emergencies.
“This will help us during times of earthquakes and other disasters, because not everyone is enjoying the benefit of having free hard hats. These hats will get to aid our learners if there would be any disasters,” Racoma told Proud Bisaya Bai.
Racoma added that the initiative builds on other disaster preparedness efforts previously undertaken by the city government, including the distribution of first aid kits to schools.
City officials said the program aims to promote a culture of disaster preparedness and resilience among public schools while helping reduce the risk of injuries during emergencies.
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