NDRRMC conducts 2nd nationwide earthquake drill

June 21, 2018

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) held second quarter  nationwide earthquake drill with the ceremonial venue at Brgy. Sta Ana, San Mateo, Rizal on Thursday. Local drills were conducted nationwide through the regional Disaster Relief Reduction Management (DRRM) councils. Interior Undersecretary Eduardo Ano, vice-chair for preparedness, vice-chair for response and Acting Secretary for Social Welfare and Development Virginia Orogo, NEDA ( National Economic Development Authority) Undersecretary Jose Miguel R De La Rosa, Phivolcs Deputy Director Bartolome Baustista, NDRRMC Executive Director and Civil Defense Administrator Usec. Ricardo Jalad, Department of Health Director Gloria Balboa, Rizal Governor Rebecca  Ynares and San Mateo, Rizal Mayor Cristina Diaz pressed the ceremonial button at exactly 2 p.m.. Residents of San Mateo, Rizal performed the duck, cover and hold right after hearing a loud 60-second siren signalling a magnitude 7.2 earthquake generated from the West Valley Fault affecting the Greater Metro Manila Area Various scenarios were performed, portraying the possible impacts of a strong earthquake based on the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study. The scenarios involved the conduct of rapid damage assessment and needs analysis, camp coordination and camp management, search rescue and retrieval, fire suppression, emergency medical response, chemical decontamination, and management of the dead and missing. Local drills across the nation were documented in social media through the NSED 2018 campaign, Bida Ang Handa. The official hashtag, #BidaAngHanda trended online during the NSED-day.