Four-day earthquake drill starts

July 14, 2017

More than 2,000 Metropolitan Manila Development Authority personnel, different business establishments and local government units participated in the third Metro Manila Shakedrill on Friday to sharpen responses if a 7.2 magnitude earthquake strikes. "We need to do this exercise because we like to lift the awareness of our citizen about the possibility of a calamity 7.2 magnitude earthquake,.” said MMDA chairman Danny Lim as the drill began Friday afternoon and will last Monday at the MMDA office in Makati After Lim, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council executive director  Ricardo Jalad and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum Jr pressed the alarm at 4 pm. to start the drill,  MMDA personnel and various volunteer groups quickly did the duck, cover and hold position as if a quake had hit. Lim announced the activation of the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council response clusters after 15 minutes, and MMDA personnel dispersed to their assigned quadrants to respond to earthquake victims. Metro Manila was divided into North quadrant in Veterans Hospital Quezon City, the South Quadrant in Villamor Airbase in Pasay City, the East Quadrant in LRT Depot Santolan, Pasig and West Quadrant in Intramuros Golf Course Manila. Lim said the drill was set near pay day of different companies to see how they response in a "worst case scenario". "We need to see how fast during a heavy traffic for example.. the response ( of) those who will help the people in need", he said. On Saturday, scheduled drills include table top exercises, communications and early rehabilitation. Frisco San Juan Jr, MMDA deputy chairman, said the first Metro Manila shake drill was conducted on 2015 and the second exercise was in 2016. When asked if Metro Manila is prepared for "the big one" San Juan said, "Hopefully, yes. That is why we are conducting a drill to for us to see all the loopholes.. to for us to address". He said the MMDA's objective is to save as many lives as possible but there will "definitely" be casualties and damages. Solidum said the third Metro Manila Shakedrill is different from the first two excercise since different barangays will participate. Lim told DZMM the problem in communication will be addressed in the exercise. "We are assuming that we cannot use cellphone. The cell sites will fall... We have radio and back-up satellite phone. And it is good because from the start of the exercise, the operation center is already established", he said  Alanna Ambi/DMS