CAPACITY

According to Monitoring and Evaluation Studies (n.d.), a capacity is the entirety of the

available strengths, like resources, which can aid the society by reducing the level of risk of an

imminent disaster. The preschool department of Sacred Heart School - Ateneo de Cebu contains

essential capacities which help the people during a potential hazard from causing disaster and

lessen the total impact of that certain disaster. These capacities are present throughout the

establishment. This is not only limited to the material objects, but is also instilled within the

structure of the building and the members of the institution, such as the faculty, staff, children,

and the like. This is further supported by the whole school community, which the department is a

part of. The types of capacities implied in the department are physical, social, and economic

capacities.

Physical Capacity

This type of capacity is depicted as a physical real-life factors seen in a community. This

includes the different useful equipments, ways of communicating, and the features of the

infrastructure where the community stays in. Throughout the vicinity, the researchers were able

to identify a number of physical capacities located throughout the building.

I. Capacities which are part of the establishment

The first set of capacities are features of the building, which lessen the risk of an

imminent disaster. These features are integrated within the structure and do not require anyone to

manipulate it in order to be used. These are: 1.) huge spaces in classrooms, 2.) wide staircases
and ramps for a small population, 3.) wide gates which can act as emergency exits, 4.) smoke

detectors, and 5.) sprinklers.

Each classroom in the building is spacious and free-roaming for its occupants. This

mostly comprise of around 11 students and 1 teacher per room. The big space is essential

because the space should not be too cramped when an evacuation is taking place during a certain

scenario, like earthquake and fire. According to Okoli and Nnorom (2014), people naturally tend

to panic when they are forced into tight spaces. This is due to psychological factors that change

because of the possibility of danger. With this, they are intensely pressured and tend to move as

one while ignoring alternative exits. This reason highly contributes to human stampede, which

can injure or potentially kill people who get trampled upon. However, the fact that the preschool

department have huge classrooms lowers the chance of this kind of event from occurring.

The main way of moving throughout each floor of the building is the staircase and ramp.

These are wide enough to allow students accompanied by a teacher to move from place to place

with ease. According to Zheng, Xie, Tian, Zhou & Zhang (2018), stairs are truly an important

component present in buildings, especially with many floors or underground floors. With this, it

is safe to say that these are important features that act as a passage to go through in times of

emergency. This also helps lessen panic as brought up by the claim of Okoli and Nnorom (2014)

stated in the paragraph above. Thus, people can have an orderly exit to a safer place when an

imminent threat arises in the preschool department.

In comparison to the amount of people present in the preschool building, the gates that

are placed in the building are wide enough for people to exit. These exits provide additional

ways to escape the building in case of an emergency. In addition, these gates can also be opened
wider to allow a smoother exit during an evacuation. There are 2 main gates, one at the main

entrance of the building and the other at the basement level, which is located on the left-hand

side when facing the building. The safety standards vary depending on the occupancy of the

building, and in this case, the small population can also help in the evacuation process, which

involves having an orderly exit or going out of the building during an earthquake or fire. Without

these gates, a stampede would potentially occur since the people cannot leave the dangerous

areas. An example of a disaster that happened due to the lack of exits is the accident in Ozone

Disco Club. According to Philippine Daily Inquirer (2015), “On March 18, 1996, a four-hour

blaze gutted Ozone Disco Club on Timog Avenue in Quezon City, killing at least 160 people and

injuring around 90 others … ‘firetrap’ because it lacked exit routes, fire extinguishers and

warning devices.” Since the preschool building have wide enough gates that serve as exit routes,

the risk of a disaster is surely lessened.

Especially within the rooms of the building, smoke detectors are also present throughout

the place. They are important in depicting the possibility of fire by detecting not just smoke, but

other potentially dangerous gases that cannot be clearly seen by the human eye. According to UK

Medical Center (n.d.), many fires produce odorless gasses that are very toxic. Most people have

the tendency to simply look out for smoke when there is a presence of fire, but that is not always

the case. With this, smoke detectors provide life-saving warnings to allow people to get out of

the building before they are trapped by fire or smoke. Applying smoke detectors to the preschool

would warn the security guards and the teachers ahead of time so that they could take

precautionary measures during a fire incident. Smoke detectors help prevent casualties through a

warning system that informs people and enables the occupants to evacuate the area.
 Sprinklers are also essential in the instance of a fire. They are seen in the different rooms

and hallways of the establishment. These allow better chances of reducing the damage of the fire,

by trying to put out the fire before it becomes worse. According to Fireline (2017), fire sprinkler

systems are important in controlling the situation of a fire. Not only does these sprinklers help

contain the flame, but it also controls the toxic smoke and fumes that are expelled due to the fire.

The installation of these throughout the place is a key factor in lowering the impact of fire from

causing serious damage.

II. Capacities that act as devices to be used

The following set of capacities are manually used by people to lessen the impact of a

disaster. This are visible material objects that can be accessed by personnel of the preschool

department. These include: 1.) fire extinguishers, 2.) public address (PA) systems, 3.) landline

telephone, and 4.) evacuation maps.

Fire extinguishers are seen throughout the preschool building. These are used to put out

small flames which can potentially spread and engulf larger objects. The availability and access

to this is a strong factor in fighting a hazard that might grow larger and deal more damage. To

support this, numerous studies have been conducted to determine the effectiveness and reliability

of fire extinguishers. According to McSheffrey (2011), a study from the UK which was

conducted in 2002 by the Fire Extinguishing Trades Association (FETA) and the Independent

Fire Engineering and Distributors Association (IFEDA) found that 80% of over 2100 fire

incidents were successfully extinguished with fire extinguishers, and the fire department weren’t

needed in 75% of those incidents. This is just one of the examples which demonstrates and

proves the importance of fire extinguishers.

 There are also public address (PA) system seen at the sides of the walls throughout the

building. These speakers do not only act as a bell to signify the end of classes, but they also serve

as a warning system, which notify the people in case of an emergency. People have to attentively

listen to the emergency warnings in order to lessen the chaos and have an orderly exit out of the

building. According to Frontline Security (2016), emergency PA systems are crucial when it

comes to informing the public, like students, employees, and the like, about the occurring events

that might lead to a disaster. With this, the PA system can be used to be able to be cautious and

aware of the threat that occurs. This will be useful for the teachers to be able to guide the

children to safety whenever a hazard strikes.

Another device used to communicate is the landline telephone. One is clearly seen at the

entrance of the preschool building. This is important because it is used to contact services that

can help the situation during an emergency. It makes communication to the bigger community

possible. Most people today rely mostly on their cellular phones in order to communicate.

Although cellphones may still be useful, landline telephones are still key factors in lessening the

damage of a hazard. According to Pioneer Communications (2016), “In a situation regarding a

large disaster in which there are hundreds or thousands of people … land-based telephone offers

more of a likelihood that you will be able to get in touch with loved ones and emergency

personnel.” With that being said, the risk of failing to call emergency services is also lessened

since landline telephones can contact quicker without any obstructions.

Evacuation maps are seen on the fronts of doors in each room. These are drawn out from

the architectural structures of a designated building. This plays a crucial role because it allows

people to see the best possible evacuation routes to follow in order to keep them safe while

evacuating, and to avoid overcrowding. These allow the adults, especially the teachers, to bring
the kids to the safer area. According to Ng and Chow (2006), the information contained in this

architectural drawing of the map are designed to help the people of the building move fast from

the danger area once the evacuation begins. This is considered during the architectural planning

of the building. With this, the preschool department has fully prepared the faculty, staff, and

students to be aware of the nearest evacuation area in order to prevent major casualties.

Social Capacity

This type of capacity is described as the links within the community, whether in oneself

or the whole community. This is the backbone of interaction with one another in order to lessen

the risk of damage and injury within the community. It guarantees a strong support in times of

crisis.

I. Personnel of the preschool department

One capacity are the faculty present there. The teachers and administrators act as guides

towards the kids in the preschool department. They are important because they are the ones who

have the most capabilities and knowledge in the whole facility. They are also the ones who

handle the use of physical capacities like fire extinguishers, PA system, and so on. According to

Rodrigues et al. (2015), “Emergency situations occur anywhere and at any time, however,

schools generate a significant concern because accidents happen routinely and teachers are the

first ones to perform the assistance measures.” With this, they can surely be the ones who would

support the students in times of emergency.

 Another capacity is the security personnel of the school. There are security guards

positioned throughout the whole school campus. In addition, Gate 2 of the school is located near

the preschool building. This is important because it allows the guards to move to the preschool

building faster and more efficiently to improve the chances of safety there. Their job is to be able

to provide assistance and secure the safety of the institution. According to Universal Training

Academy (n.d.), security guards are important because they set the safety among all the school’s

members and the institution as a whole. With this, they can be able to lessen the total impact of a

disaster by providing assistance for when a threat is present.

II. Republic Act No. 10821

On March 18, 2016, President Benigno S. Aquino III signed Republic Act (RA) No.

10821 known Children's Emergency Relief and Protection Act. This act basically shows that the

government prioritizes relief and protection in times of disaster. This will be done before, during,

and after a disaster. This is to insure the safety and development of children during hard times of

disaster. The United Nations also supports this through the United Nations Convention on the

Rights of the Child. Since the preschool department comprises of mostly children who are in the

developing stages of their education, it is safe to say that they are also entitled to the benefits of

this RA.

Economic Capacity

This type of capacity includes the essential income of the community. This comprises of

the community’s earnings and savings. This allows for financial assistance and support during a

certain disaster.
 Sacred Heart School - Ateneo de Cebu is a well-known private school in Cebu. With the

institution being a private school, the benefits provided to the community it is well maintained.

The earnings that the school receive from certain factors add to the economic capacity when the

time an emergency occurs. With this, the school can supply more in order to provide better

services for its members, like students, faculty, staff, and many more. According to Narodowski

and Moschetti (2015), the greatest factor affecting the economic capacity of a private school is

the tuition fee paid by the parents. This is because the money received can be stored as

emergency funds, which will be used in cases of emergencies. This is one important factor which

is considered as an economic capacity. This capacity does not solely rely on the tuition, but also

the donations by different alumni. This will lead to stable finances and will keep the school

community safe in times of emergency. If ever a disaster will occur and destroy any sort of

property, the school funds will have the capability of rebuilding the community because of its

high financial status. And if needed, the school can upgrade its physical capacities in order to

have high quality facilities.

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