Getting Ready for Natural Disasters

Disaster Management

GETTING READY FOR NATURAL DISASTERS Drill, seminar staged for disaster preparedness

By ANNA PHILIPPA G. NAVA

It was a dark time for Mindanao during the month of October 2019 as a series of earthquakes followed by hundreds of aftershocks rocked various parts of the region. The first recorded earthquake of the month happened on October 16 with a magnitude of 6.3, destroying homes and claiming lives. Starting from then, earthquakes continued to devastate different parts of Mindanao.

▼ Quarterly earthquake drills are conducted by the Regional Office to promote disasrter awareness and preparedness.

July-December 2019 It was wake-up call. The region was overwhelmed and the entire country was left in a state of alarm. Earthquakes and disasters could happen anytime and anywhere—that is why it is crucial to be informed of disaster preparedness measures. Additionally, it is important to be prepared and to make sure that these preparations are not only individualized but also institutionalized in order to ensure efficiency and extensiveness.

As a step towards disaster preparedness and resiliency, the DPWH Regional Office VI held two seminars regarding disaster management and disaster preparedness and continued to observe nationwide earthquake drills.

Of course, it is essential to know and learn about disaster preparedness measures and management systems; however, it should also be reinforced with a more practical approach. On November 14, 2019, the Regional Office VI, along with the DEOs, participated in the nationwide 4th Quarter Earthquake Drill. The drill challenged the employees and tested how they reacted and responded to an earthquake emergency situation. More active approaches like drills will help people understand what to do during actual emergencies.

▲ Seminars on disaster management were conducted to the officials and employees of Regional and District Engineering Offices.

Likewise, series of seminars were conducted by the Regional Office, attended by officials and employees from both the Regional Office and District Engineering Offices. The seminar was on disaster preparedness, continuity overview, and contingency planning. It initially came as a response towards the first earthquake in Mindanao and was further conducted in preparation for the movement of the West Valley Fault and other active faults. During the seminar, the engineers were trained on how to properly conduct evaluations and vulnerability and risk assessments like the seismic performance of infrastructures. In addition to that, they were taught the concepts, principles, and requirements of the Public Service Continuity Plan, as well as how to devise the Contingency Plan in times of natural disasters.

It is crucial that we are knowledgeable about natural and man-made disasters as well as informed about how to prevent and handle them. Disasters can strike anywhere at any given moment and as such, it is important that we remain vigilant. By educating ourselves, be it by studying or by participating in disaster preparedness-related seminars in our office, we are keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe from danger.