The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Field Office 5 (Bicol Region) has spearheaded the setting up of a temporary learning space (TLS) at the Hiraya Manawari Residences in Barangay San Vicente in Tabaco City, Albay.
Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD’s Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) said the TLS is a nine-classroom facility serving as a temporary school for approximately 149 learners who have been affected by Mayon volcano’s restiveness.
These students, from kindergarten to grade 6 learners, are from the Magapo Elementary School, which is located within Mayon’s critical six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ).
Asst. Secretary Dumlao said the establishment of the TLS was made possible through a whole-of-government initiative of national agencies, local government units (LGUs), and partner institutions.
“This whole-of-government approach follows the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to provide responsive and people-centered services to affected families. It demonstrates the government’s commitment to ensure that the children and youth sectors are provided with interventions that are meant to develop them into their full potential amidst any situation,” Asst. Secretary Dumlao said on Tuesday (February 3).
Under the guidance of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the FO 5 ensures the continuous provision of assistance to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Mayon, especially children.
Aside from the TLS, the DSWD FO 5, together with the LGU, established child-friendly spaces (CFS) in evacuation centers and the tent city wherein psychosocial activities are being conducted for children to help them cope with the disruption caused by the volcano.
“Our goal is to ensure that while these children are displaced from their regular, normal lives, their development does not stall. We are bringing the Department’s resources directly to them to provide both nourishment and emotional security,” FO 5 Regional Director (RD) Norman Laurio said.
RD Laurio has confirmed that the DSWD’s support extends beyond infrastructure to include the health and emotional well-being of the students. The regional director noted that the FO 5, through its Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD), has deployed a Mobile Kitchen to provide hot and nutritious meals to the TLS learners during school hours.
RD Laurio said the TLS at Hiraya Manawari Residences stands as a testament to Bicol region’s resilience and the government’s dedication to protecting vulnerable sectors, especially students, during natural calamities.
Mayon has been in a state of unrest since early January this year, with the PHIVOLCs declaring Alert Level 3 on January 6 as the volcano continue its magmatic eruption, showing an increased potential for a major eruption. (NT)
