MANILA — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) is set to hold its fourth Metro Manila Shake Drill within the second to third week of July.
The drill aims to strengthen the preparedness among citizens in case a major earthquake strikes Metro Manila.
For this year, the MMDA will be sounding off the earthquake alert around five minutes before the drill to inculcate an effective awareness on disaster response and preparedness among Metro Manila residents.
“Kung last year maganda yung preparation kasi may director, may actor, scenarios tapos nag announced ng exact date, time and day para makapag ready sa The Big One. This time basta between the 2nd week and 3rd week of July. We will not announce exactly pero five minutes before yung actual shake drill mag-a-announce, then takbo na tayo (If last year, the preparations were well coordinated, there is a director, an actor, there are scenarios. We have announced the exact, date and time to be prepared for the Big One. This time this will be done between the 2nd week and 3rd week of July. We will not announce exactly but five minutes before the actual drill, we will announce the conduct of the activity),” MMDA General Manager Jojo Garcia said in a press briefing Friday.
“We’re hoping that this time siguro naman kahit wala tayong shake drill, in your own and even the private sectorginagawa ito (We’re hoping that this time even if there is no scheduled shake drill, everybody should be doing their respective earthquake drills),” he added.
MMDA public safety consultant Ramon Santiago hopes that the lessons to be gained from the drill will be used to enhance the earthquake preparedness of local government units (LGUs).
“This 4th shake drill, we will be able to utilize lang kung ano yung natutunan ng mga tao and at the same time we want to check the preparedness ng different quadrants and also how Local Government Unit will be able to response sa unexpected Big One (This 4th shake drill, we will be able to utilize the lessons that will be learned by the citizens and at the same time we want to check the preparedness of different quadrants and also how local government units will be able to respond to the unexpected Big One)”, he said.
The MMDA has been conducting the Metro Manila Shake Drill since 2015.
MMDA has launched a contingency plan called Oplan Metro Yakal Plus which details the protocols and procedures that would take place in the event of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake.
Under Oplan Metro Yakal Plus, Metro Manila is divided into the northern, southern, eastern and western quadrants.
Each quadrant has its respective commander and emergency operations center, which will be staffed round the clock and ready for response in the event of an emergency. (Aerol John Pateña/With reports from Coleen May Abante, OJT/PNA)
