Stories of Good Change

522 Reached: Good Neighbors Philippines Strengthens Disaster Preparedness in Six Schools in Rodriguez, Rizal

Building disaster-resilient communities starts with equipping schools and their communities with the knowledge and skills to respond when emergencies strike.

Through its San Isidro and Southville Community Development Projects (CDPs), Good Neighbors Philippines, conducted school-based replications of The Big One Training across six schools in Rodriguez, Rizal, from October 6 to 30, 2026, reaching a total of 522 students, teachers, and non-teaching personnel.

The training covered earthquake preparedness, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM), Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), and Psychological First Aid (PFA). It also encouraged student leaders to become advocates of safety and preparedness within their respective schools.

The activities were conducted at:

  • San Isidro National High School – October 6 | 71 participants
  • Balagbag Elementary School – October 7 | 30 participants
  • Southville 8B National High School – October 14 | 98 participants
  • San Isidro Labrador Elementary School – October 23 | 108 participants
  • San Isidro Senior High School – October 29 | 134 participants
  • Macabud National High School – October 30 | 81 participants

To complement the training, Good Neighbors Philippines provided each participating school with one Trauma Bag containing essential first-aid supplies and emergency response equipment, including bandages, antiseptic supplies, a blood pressure monitor, thermometer, stretcher, and megaphone. These resources will support designated school personnel in providing initial first aid, assisting injured individuals, communicating emergency instructions, and facilitating evacuation while awaiting professional responders.

Through capacity-building activities and the provision of emergency response equipment, Good Neighbors Philippines continues to strengthen the preparedness and response capabilities of schools in Rodriguez, Rizal. The initiative reinforces that disaster preparedness is a shared responsibility, where every student, teacher, and school personnel plays an important role in creating safer and more resilient learning environments.