The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is reinforcing its earthquake preparedness efforts following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand last week.
In an interview with Radyo 630, OCD administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno outlined a two-level approach aimed at enhancing community resilience.
“Level one” preparations focus on engineering solutions, including retrofitting public schools, health centers, and critical infrastructure to withstand earthquakes. The OCD will inspect these structures to determine if they need reinforcements.
“Yung engineering solutions, paigtingin po natin, pagtulong-tulungan natin, yun pa kasi ang mas importante po talaga,” Nepomuceno said.
Meanwhile, “level two” preparations emphasize public awareness and drills, particularly the “duck, cover, and hold” technique, which can prevent injuries during tremors.
“Patuloy po natin pinagbubuti yung pagkampanya sa duck, cover, and hold. Sana ay talagang mas seryosohin ng ating mga kababayan,” he urged.
In response to the March 28 earthquake in Myanmar, the OCD is also deploying a 90-member Philippine Inter-Agency Humanitarian Contingent (PIAHC) to assist in disaster response efforts. The team includes personnel from the OCD, Philippine Army, Philippine Air Force, Bureau of Fire Protection, MMDA, Department of Health, and private sector who will provide search and rescue operations and emergency medical assistance.