A DAVAO City Councilor is once again pushing for a one-minute water break for all private and public schools in the city.
Councilor Jessica Bonguyan, the proponent of the ordinance, advocated for it during the "Aprubado sa Konseho" session on Tuesday morning, June 25, 2024, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod. She emphasized the vulnerability of children to heat.
“Ang heat stroke walay ginapili, matigulang man o mabata so mao nang gibuhatgan nato ni og ordinansya tungod sa init nga panahon, simple lang ni pero it will give a big impact to the health of the children (Heat stroke picks no one, whether they are adults or children, which is why we crafted this ordinance due to the intense heat. This is a simple ordinance, but it will have a significant impact on the health of the children),” she said.
The ordinance, titled "A Minute Water-Break of Davao City," will apply to all private and public schools, particularly daycare, kindergarten, and elementary schools. The water break will be observed before the start of the second subject and at the end of the last subject of the class.
The ordinance stipulates that children are not prohibited from drinking water at any time as long as it does not disrupt the class.
Before implementation, schools must conduct an orientation for students, teachers, and staff regarding the ordinance.
Parents are encouraged to support the ordinance and ensure their children have adequate drinking water in non-single-use plastic bottles or canisters.
Educational institutions must ensure that potable water is available and that sealed water bottles sold within the school have undergone water quality and potability tests from a laboratory accredited by the Department of Health (DOH).
The City Health Office (CHO) will periodically monitor the water consumed by children on school premises.
Schools are also encouraged to display informational materials with the message “A Minute Water-Break” in prominent places.
During a committee hearing, the Department of Education-Davao Region (DepEd-Davao) stated that they are in the process of creating a Memorandum of Agreement with the DOH, Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), and the local government unit regarding the ordinance.
The ordinance is currently scheduled for its second reading.
Bonguyan promoted the minute water break in her privilege speech on December 3, 2019, and it was considered for first reading. RGP