FOLLOWING the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Sarangani, Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin Gatchalian is calling for a stronger role for local government units (LGUs) in ensuring the continuity of learning during disasters and other emergencies.

Gatchalian stressed that LGUs should play a more active and empowered role in maintaining basic education services during crises, citing provisions under proposed Senate Bill No. 53, or the 21st Century School Boards Act, which seeks to expand the mandate of Local School Boards.

The measure aims to strengthen local education governance by enabling faster, more coordinated, and localized responses to disruptions in schooling caused by calamities and other emergencies.

The proposal also highlights the need to institutionalize emergency education interventions at the local level to ensure that learners can continue their studies even when schools are affected by disasters.

Gatchalian noted that the proposal is consistent with the responsibilities of LGUs under Republic Act No. 12199, or the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) System Act, particularly Section 7(b)(12), which mandates local governments to design and implement comprehensive emergency programs for young children during disasters and other crisis situations.

The Department of Education (DepEd) reported that the number of schools affected by the recent earthquake has risen to 8,642, raising concerns over learning disruptions and damage to educational infrastructure across affected areas.

“Ang LGUs ang unang tumutugon tuwing nagkakaroon ng mga sakuna at kalamidad. Kaya mahalagang palawakin natin ang kanilang tungkulin at kakayahan upang matiyak ang pagpapatuloy ng edukasyon tuwing may sakuna,” Gatchalian said.

The senator emphasized that strengthening LGU participation is crucial to building a more resilient education system capable of withstanding natural disasters while safeguarding learners’ access to quality education.