BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya (3 October) -- In a bid to lessen the number of casualties in schools during disasters and calamities, the Provincial Disaster Management Council (PDMC) here recently conducted a disaster preparedness training among elementary and high school students in the province.Eva Liza Agamata, provincial disaster management coordinator said the activity served as a venue for the conduct of a workshop on earthquake drill with basic first aid and fire prevention and suppression which was participated by 78 students from public and private schools in the province.

"This is part of our advocacy program to instill awareness on disaster preparedness and management among the youth because they are the most vulnerable sector in times of disasters and calamities," Agamata told PIA.

She added that with the activity, PDMC expects that the number of casualties among the children and the youth will be lessened, specially when the lessons such as crowd control and identification and management of exit points will be fully institutionalized in schools.

"We have already conducted two earthquake drills in June 20 and September 20 in response to the call of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to make earthquake drill a quarterly activity in the country," Agamata said.