5th School Cubay Elementary with Traumatized Kids

I won't forget the horrible incident that shook the school sometime in 2012 and the pupils were afraid and traumatized the pupils of my school. It seemed that I was one of them too. This happened  several minutes before noon. It's a lunch time for the pupils.

"The school is shaking," shouted the school children who were eating their lunch under the shady tree. One child was surprised upon seeing the water inside her glass was moving.

The furniture which I was sitting while reading a text message from my mobile phone was moving. I stopped for awhile and still I felt that the couch was moving slowly. I rushed outside my office and saw a group of pupils were on the ground sitting. Some of them were crying. I saw my H.E. teacher coming towards me shouting, "Sir Batyag ka may Linog?" (Sir, have you felt that there's an earthquake?)

That was the terrible experienced I have had in Cubay Elementary School, my 5th school assignment as a school principal. I saw how the pupils behaved, how the teachers assisted the confused pupils to stay out of their classroom. And I saw parents in group coming to the school fetching their respective children.

What Makes Earthquake Drill, Funny?

A minute siren blast overcame the silence of the classes of Balabag Elementary School to catch the more than three hundred school pupils unaware the incoming earthquake an hour before their recess period started. A scenario in a recent earthquake drill conducted in the said school in the Division of La Carlota.

Kids covering their heads proceeding to open space

When I was transferred to this last year as their new school principal, these pupils were already informed through an orientation on what to do in time of natural disaster like the earthquake in which I conducted with the assistance of the teachers.

They're too serious to know the basic things to do to stay safe when an earthquake strikes. They're apt to go under their table, their desk, while covering their heads. They remained in silence. They're quickly to follow the instructions of their respective teachers.

They knew where to proceed after the quake as played when the long blast sound stops. Though, there were some who were afraid, anxious of this so called drill.

Are Pupils Ready When Disaster Happens?

Most of the teachers and even the school heads had missed to observe the month of July as the National Disaster Month by virtue of Executive Order of 1999.They are used to celebrate the month of July as the Nutrition Month.

This morning in our flag ceremony of our school, Cubay Elementary School, I apprised our pupils the importance of disaster preparedness and checked themselves on how ready and prepared they are when natural calamities or disasters may occur anytime, especially when they least expect them. I reminded them how terrible it was before when they personally experienced the earthquake last year that shook the school for more than 8 minutes.

I remember that every one got panicked, cried and even trembled for fear that their lives are endangered. I was even affected too for it was the first time that I felt that tremor which moved the sala set which I was sitting when that quake struck. I got out from my office feeling dizzy, walking groggy.

Magnitude 5.8 Quake Hits Cauayan, Negros Occidental

"There's an earthquake! There's an earthquake!"

This is what I shouted when I noticed that my desktop computer is heavily shaking several minutes ago while I was composing some write-ups for my blog.

It took more than 5 to 6 seconds I presumed for I was shocked that I forgot to monitor the time and besides I kept on shouting:

Stepping down from a bed for she's cleaning and putting our things in order beside our bed, my wife accosted me and verified, "Did you shake the bed?" I said, "No. It's an earthquake."

Later we learned that it was Cauayan, Negros Occidental which is the epic center of the magnitude 5.8 earthquake, which is tectonic in origin. It hit the said place at 1:21 p.m. Cauayan is 113 kilometers from Bacolod City, the capital of Negros Occidental and it is 68 kms from our place.

School Earthquake Drill Is a Must

The pupils of Cubay Elementary School in the Division of La Carlota City had proven themselves how they were ever ready when a natural disaster will come anytime like the earthquake.

"Duck, Cover and Hold"

Their alertness and readiness were tested recently when an earthquake drill was conducted in by the school principal, this blogger.

It was 10:15 in the morning when the grade four class of Mrs. Melanie Reyes was first evaluated. Since this was the class that was going to check on how prepared are they, I never used the bell to signal the occurrence of the earthquake. Instead I tapped the table for a minute, meaning there's an earthquake and the building is shaking.

Intensity 6.8 Quake Traumatizes CES Pupils, Teachers

The building is shaking! A water inside the glass is making a wave! I couldn't stand straight! I feel dizzy! The coconut trees are terribly shaking!

Innocent Pupils of Cubay Elementary School

These are the traumatic reactions of the pupils and teachers of Cubay Elementary School when intensity 6.8 earthquake hits La Carlota at 11:49 a.m. before noon today.

The school principal while he was inside his office noticed that the couch while he was sitting was moving to and fro. He overheard from the outside the howls and shouts of the pupils. He rushed outside to check and realizing later that there was an earthquake.

A score of pupils covering their heads were led by their teachers to gather in an open space to settle down and wait for the quake to stop. Some proceeded directly to the nearby sugarcane field just across the gate of the school.

6.6 Quake Rocks PHL Negros Islands

Early this morning, I was awakened by a shake which lasted for about 30 seconds as I noticed it. I elbowed my son, who slept beside me to wake him up and asked him if he felt the tremor, But he never moved an inch from his sound sleep. Anyway I grabbed my mobile phone and checked the time. It's 4:30 a.m. I went back to sleep again until I woke up at 6:33 a.m.

I went downstairs and checked the Internet. The report said, "Philippines was rocked by 6.6 quake intensity." It's was terrible! I quipped.

While updating this blog as of 4:57 p.m. this day, I felt a quake of 10-second duration with 5 seconds gap. I called up my grandson, Bryan and pointed to him my PC which is shaking. He held the PC's monitor screen to stop from rocking.