Hidden disasters: Recurrent flooding impacts on educational continuity in the Philippines

This study provides insights on the impacts of both large and small-scale floods in the education sector of Metro Manila, Philippines and how they may contribute in Global Leaning Crisis. It highlights the impacts of small-scale floods which are often unrecognised as they fail to meet the very definition of disaster with the widest global consensus. The methodological framework for this study consists of three different methods including secondary data collection, focus group discussion, and workshop involving students, teachers, school administrators and staffs from selected public schools. Findings suggest that impacts of small-scale floods to school communities (students, teacher and staffs) particularly to the most marginalised students were considerable and their cumulative impacts may be comparable or more important than large-scale floods. Yet, they remain poorly documented and are not addressed by any disaster risk reduction policies in the country. In addition, local capacities of school communities which are more apparent in times of small-scale floods are also neglected. The study then argues that meaningful policies and actions which aim to reduce disaster risk and thus address global learning crisis in the education sector should fully consider small-scale disasters and floods.