BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya — Disaster preparedness is getting a new classroom makeover in Nueva Vizcaya, where the Department of Education (DepEd) is using comic-based learning materials to teach public-school students what to do before, during and after disasters.
The initiative, unveiled by Nueva Vizcaya Gov. Jose V. Gambito and Schools Division Superintendent Orlando Manuel, will bring localized disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) information to public schools across the province.
An initial 2,000 copies of the comic-based information, education and communication materials have already been printed for distribution, according to the Philippine Information Agency.
Rather than relying solely on conventional text-heavy materials, the comics use simple storylines, illustrations and situations familiar to students to explain disaster risks and appropriate response measures.
DepEd Nueva Vizcaya said the approach is intended to make potentially complex disaster-preparedness information easier for young learners to understand—and, importantly, encourage them to bring those lessons home and into their communities.
Why comics?
The strategy is more than a creative classroom experiment.
A 2025 study published through the Philippine Socioeconomic Research Portal examined the use of comics for earthquake and landslide preparedness among 195 residents of a landslide-prone community in Mati City, Davao Oriental.
The researchers found significant increases in participants’ disaster-related knowledge after exposure to the comics. The study also found high ratings for the materials’ comprehensibility and persuasive value, suggesting that visual and culturally relevant storytelling can be an effective way of communicating disaster-preparedness messages.
That evidence provides useful context for Nueva Vizcaya’s decision to use comics—but it does not prove that the new DepEd materials themselves will prevent injuries or deaths. Their effectiveness will ultimately depend on how the materials are used alongside drills, school safety procedures, emergency planning and actual community preparedness.
A bigger push for disaster-ready schools
The comic initiative comes as disaster preparedness remains a major concern for Philippine schools.
In October 2025, the Department of Science and Technology and DepEd discussed strengthening science-based disaster preparedness, particularly for schools exposed to earthquake hazards. DOST and PHIVOLCS offered technical assistance, including hazard information, risk assessments and training for education officials.
DepEd has also emphasized that disaster readiness must be connected to learning continuity. Its Education in Emergencies framework calls for schools to prepare for disruptions while protecting students and maintaining access to education.
Recent disaster responses have underscored why that preparation matters. DepEd has required schools to assess their conditions, update contingency plans, coordinate with local disaster-risk authorities, preposition emergency supplies and prepare alternative learning arrangements when disasters disrupt normal classes.
From classroom lessons to family preparedness
For Nueva Vizcaya officials, the goal is not simply to make disaster education more entertaining.
The province’s localized approach is intended to help students recognize risks and understand appropriate responses in ways that are easier to remember and share.
DepEd Nueva Vizcaya said the materials are designed to encourage learners to apply what they learn at home and in their communities, potentially turning students into additional messengers of disaster preparedness.
Gov. Gambito has also called for similar comic-based educational materials addressing family values, emphasizing the role of strong and supportive families in developing responsible and resilient children.
The broader message is clear: disaster preparedness cannot begin only when a typhoon arrives, the ground starts shaking or another emergency unfolds.
It has to begin before the warning comes.
And in Nueva Vizcaya, DepEd is betting that a lesson told through pictures and stories may be easier for children to remember when the moment comes to put that knowledge into action.
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