PRC in disaster site/Never Again! book

Quick as lightning, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) deployed manpower and rescue vehicles to assist in the search and rescue operations in a collapsed supermarket in Porac, Pampanga following the 6.1-magnitude earthquake that hit parts of Luzon on Monday, April 22. 

 What a terrible  day it was for shoppers at a supermarket. Without warning, the roof collapsed on them, walls broke down, the floors cracked open. There was no time to run, no time to grab at their kids, nor to say a prayer for safety. Where are you God, the relatives of the victims must have cried. But God was for sure watching, and caring; who can fathom his divine will?

Data from the PRC Operations Center shows that as of 7 a.m. the next day, 24 individuals were still missing while 69 suffered injuries. PRC mobilized 30 manpower equipped with two ambulance units, two rescue vehicles, a generator set, and a tower light.

PRC also provided body bags to facilitate proper management of bodies retrieved in the site of the tragedy.

“We are all together. Red Cross continues the search and rescue operations for the missing individuals at Chuzon Supermarket. We deployed our assets from nearby chapters to provide additional manpower in affected areas. No one shall be left behind,” PRC chairman Richard Gordon said.

Gordon also urged business owners to take precautionary measures to ensure the safety of the crowd.

“Be mindful of the safety of the people in your establishments. Business owners should inspect and double check the safety of their establishments to avoid putting people in dangerous situations,” he added.

 Red Cross also advises the public to take earthquake drills seriously to prevent major casualties and take note of the following measures before, during, and after an earthquake.

“Be mindful of the safety of the people in your establishments. Business owners should inspect and double check the safety of their establishments to avoid putting people in dangerous situations,” he added.

Red Cross also advises the public to take earthquake drills seriously to prevent major casualties and take note of the following measures before, during, and after an earthquake.

Before checklist, bolt and brace water heaters and gas appliances with wall studs; bolt bookcases, china cabinets and other tall furniture with wall studs; hang heavy items, such as pictures and mirrors, away from beds, couches and anywhere  people sleep or sit; brace overhead light fixtures; install strong latches or bolts on cabinets, large or heavy items should be closest to the floor; shut off the gas valves in your home and keep a  wrench handy for that purpose.

If you’re indoors when an earthquake occurs, PRC advises you to drop, cover and hold on. Move as little as possible and watch for falling objects.

It is important to keep your head and torso covered. If  you are sitting at a desk or table, get under it. Otherwise drop wherever  you are.

If you are in bed, stay there, curl up and hold on, protecting your head with a pillow. Stay away from windows to avoid being injured by shattered glass. Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit. If you  must go outside after the shaking stops, use the stairs rather than an elevator in case of aftershocks, power outages or other damages.  Be aware that fire alarms and sprinkler systems frequently go off in buildings during an earthquake, even if there is no fire.

If you are outside, find a clear spot and drop to the ground. Stay there until the shaking stops. Stay away from buildings, power lines, trees, and streetlights.”           

If you are in a vehicle, pull over to a clear location and stop. Avoid bridges, overpasses and power lines if possible.  Stay inside with your seat belt fastened until the shaking stops. Then drive carefully, avoiding bridges and ramps that might have been damaged. If a power line falls on your vehicle, do not get out. Wait for assistance. If you are in a mountainous area or near unstable slopes and cliffs, be alert for falling rocks and other debris. Landslides are often triggered by earthquakes.

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NEVER AGAIN! (To Martial Law!): A Sequel to Martial Law Jokes Atbp, has just come off  the  press.  

The new 174-page book is the 36th by widely published writer Crispin C. Maslog. His co-author is Rosario M. Baseleres. The new book is available in Manila bookstores, and by mail order from the senior author starting next week. 

The first half of this new book which contains Martial law jokes which became popular during the Martial Law regime of Ferdinand Marcos, was collected by Maslog and published in 2017. The second half contains reviews and excerpts of six of the major books that came out after the Marcoses were booted out of the country by people power in 1986.

The reviewed books are The Conjugal Dictatorship by Primitivo Mijares, The Marcos Dynasty by Sterling Seagrave, Some Are Smarter Than Others, by Ricardo Manapat, The Marcos File by Charles MacDougald, The Untold Story of Imelda Marcos by Carmen Navarro Pedrosa, and Inside the Palace, by Beth Day Romulo.  

The excerpts will enable the readers to sample the six books which delve into various aspects of the 14-year Martial law regime of Marcos – the economic plunder, human rights abuses, corruption and extravagance, among others. 

“If the first half of this book will make our readers laugh at or with the jokes, the second part will make them cry. But we Filipinos need both – laugh to live another day and cry so that we do not repeat our history,” says Maslog in his Preface to the book. 

For inquiries contact Crispin Mas-log [email protected]/[email protected]

Email: [email protected]