By Perla Lena/PNA
ILOILO CITY — Experts underscored the need to be always ready to respond immediately and to reduce casualties in times of disasters, such as strong tremor, as this city was chosen as pilot area for the national simultaneous earthquake drill (NSED) on Thursday.
Speaking before the start of the simulation exercise, Undersecretary Renato Solidum Jr. of the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOST-PHIVOLCS) said that Iloilo City is one of the country’s “most progressive cities but prone to various hazards”.
“We also need to make sure that we reduce the potential risk of the people of Iloilo City by making sure that the offices, the buildings, malls and churches can withstand a very large earthquake. We need to make sure that we need to respond immediately and properly to further reduce casualties,” he said.
Iloilo City is one of the four cities in the country recommended to be prioritized in preparing for such an eventuality. The three others are Metro Manila, Davao and Cebu, he added.
“We need to prepare together because one city being physically affected by earthquake, in terms of business governance, will indirectly affect other parts of the country. We need to continue our disaster risk reduction efforts, we need to continue the drill,” he said.
National Defense Undersecretary Reynaldo Mapagu said the quarterly earthquake drill could help assess the strengths of earthquake disaster plans and identify gaps that need to be filled and the areas of opportunities.
“The Philippines is located within the ‘Ring of Fire’ in the Asia-Pacific and we simply cannot prevent occurrence of earthquakes. But here is the heart of the matter – we can, with political will and intense of determination, reduce the impact of earthquakes to human lives,” he said.
He added that by having the drill “we are empowering our people not to be victims of disasters but rather resilient survivors”.
The drill in this city gathered participants from five impact areas to include the Iloilo City Hall, Iloilo Mission Hospital, Iloilo Business Park/Megaworld, SM City and the Brgy. Sto Nino Sur.
In an earlier interview, Donna Magno, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer, said the scenario at Barangay Sto. Nino Sur, a coastal barangay in Arevalo district, showed how the academe and the barangay will work together in case of any eventuality. The partner academe was the John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University (JBLFMU).
The exercise at the SM City tested the preparedness of the mall, especially in assisting its clients and mall goers while Megaworld, where the complex scenes were done, showcased its preparations as the site often plays host to national and international events.
One of the strongest earthquakes ever to hit lloilo and Panay was “Caycay” on January 25, 1948. “Caycay” is a Hiligaynon term to describe the scratches on the ground similar to those being done by chicken.
The 8.2 magnitude tremor damaged Spanish-era churches from various parts of Panay, killed 21 in Iloilo City and injured 43 others, according to the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD). The quake was generated by the West Panay Fault.
“A magnitude 8 earthquake is such as strong earthquake that the shaking can be more than a minute and that you cannot stand anymore,” Solidum said.
The next ceremonial area for the second quarter NSED will be in Bayugan, Agusan del Sur on June 20 this year.
Also present during the ceremonial program held in Iloilo City were Undersecretaries Bernardo C. Florece, Jr of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Felicisimo C. Budiongan of the Department of Social Welfare and Development; Civil Defense Deputy Administrator Kristoffer James E. Purisima; OCD Regional Director Roberto Nunez and Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor.
