Simulation exercise eyed for human-induced hazards

CEBU, Philippines - The incessant threats and the harm brought by terrorism resulting in property damage and loss of lives have prompted the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to focus this year’s simulation exercise on proper response operations for human-induced hazards and disasters.

Human-induced hazards are those hazards caused directly or indirectly by human action or inaction, including terror attacks, said Raphael Luche, PDRRMO-Emergency Team Division head.

Luche said the country’s current security situation empowers the team to continue raising awareness on how to properly respond to any forms of man-made disasters, admitting that for the past years they had been keeping their eyes only on natural hazard responses.

“For the past years nag-focus ra ta sa mga natural hazards so we decided nga for this year, we will be focusing on the human-induced hazards,” he said.

The simulation exercise or drill, which is slated for next month, is aimed at testing the response capabilities of PDRRMO’s responders, at the same time raising risk awareness by encouraging the public to take appropriate action when man-made disasters strike.

Also, it seeks to reduce the number of casualties during human-induced disasters.

“So our simulation exercise will be basically how we respond if there will be terrorist attacks occurring here in Cebu. We will be focusing on the worst case scenario nga posibleng mahitabo diri sa atoa sa Sugbo,” Luche said.

Luche said his team is constantly coordinating with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the execution of the simulation exercise.

He said AFP has been the province’s partner in several operations like search and rescue and disaster response operations.

The month of July of every year was declared National Disaster Consciousness Month by virtue of Executive Order No. 137, signed in August 1999 by then President Joseph Estrada. (FREEMAN)