Resilient Leadership in Managing Schools Amid Climate Change and Disasters

This study explored resilient leadership in managing schools amid climate change and disasters by assessing preparedness and safety measures, examining adaptive leadership strategies, analyzing community empowerment initiatives, and evaluating sustainable recovery practices toward “building back better.” Employing a descriptive research design, it involved 150 respondents composed of 50 principals, 50 head teachers, and 50 officers-in-charge from selected public elementary and secondary schools across the Leyte and Southern Leyte Divisions. Using a purposive sampling technique, data were gathered through a researcher-made instrument, with permits secured from the Schools Division Superintendent and participating school leaders. Data were analyzed using arithmetic mean and percentage. Findings revealed consistently high ratings in disaster preparedness and communication practices among school leaders, with Preparedness and Safety Measures obtaining a mean of 3.89 (High), Leadership Strategies in Crisis Response 4.45 (Very High), Practices in Promoting Community Empowerment 4.45 (Very High), and Sustainable Recovery Practices 4.45 (Very High). It was concluded that while schools exhibit strong foundations in disaster preparedness, gaps remain in infrastructure resilience, sustainability, policy enforcement, and resource mobilization—necessitating the alignment of planning with practical, sustainable, and participatory resilience. The study recommends multi-level interventions integrating sustainability, capacity-building, policy coherence, and collaboration among stakeholders to enhance infrastructure, training, compliance, and leadership, thereby transforming disaster preparedness into a sustainable, resilient, and education-centered framework. It bridges the gap between educational leadership and climate resilience, as it explores educational leaders prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters, that informs policy, management, protection, and sustainable leadership.