Nationwide quake drill to disrupt Capitol operations

CEBU, Philippines - The services and operations of at least 30 offices at the Capitol are expected to be disrupted for at least two hours with the conduct of the national simultaneous earthquake drill today.

Raphael Luche, training officer at the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Emergency Rescue Division, advised clients to reschedule their business transactions this afternoon or next week to prevent inconvenience.  The drill is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. today at the Capitol compound. Other sites include Sugbo SRP, Vicente Sotto Medical Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) and the AFP Central Command Headquarters in Lahug.

“Dapat I-reschedule ang visit nila sa Capitol kay mabalda ang mga transactions,” he said, adding that Capitol department heads were notified of the event so they could advise their clients beforehand.

Luche said they are trying to avoid last year’s unannounced earthquake drill, which drew criticisms from the transacting clients coming from far-flung areas.

Cebu, he said, was chosen as among the provinces where the pressing of the ceremonial button for the first quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) will take place.

Governor Hilario Davide III, along with the Secretary of the National Defense and directors of the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), will lead the ceremonial “Push Button,” which will kick off the simultaneous drill.

Luche said guests from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) will observe today’s drill, which is in line with the ongoing efforts of the council to educate the public on what to do in case a major tremor hits the country.

“Mo-witness sila unsaon nato pag-react ug respond kun naa’y katalagman sama sa linog,” he said.

Among the highlights of the drill are scenarios on collapsed structure rescue, vehicle extraction and air evacuation, fire suppression, high angle rescue, and other medical emergencies and response efforts based on a 7.8-magntiude earthquake.

Aside from these, the provincial disaster team has prepared for a mass casualty incident simulation, involving at least 35 victims. He said they will also conduct a communication exercise to test if the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Offices of the 51 towns and component cities are capable of transmitting real-time emergency information.

As planned, he said LGUs will transmit situation report to the local police community precinct, which will forward information to the provincial police’s communication division. The provincial office will then transmit the information to the PDRRMO through the provincial law enforcement service. (FREEMAN)