Gov’t always preparing in case strong earthquake hits Philippines — OCD

The government is continuing its efforts in preparing for a possible strong earthquake that may hit the Philippines, the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) said Wednesday.

“Tayo naman po is nagpre-prepare naman po lagi. Alam naman po natin na ang Pilipinas ay lagi pong tinatamaan ng lindol dahil po tayo ay nasa Pacific Ring of Fire,” OCD Joint Information Center head Diego Mariano said at a televised public briefing.

(We are always preparing considering that the Philippines is frequently experiencing earthquakes because it is within the Pacific Ring of Fire.)

These preparations include conducting quarterly national simultaneous earthquake drills, where citizens rehearse evacuations and the “duck, cover, and hold” protocol.

With this drill, authorities also determine what policies and equipment should be developed, according to Mariano.

The government is working on mapping of hazards in areas located on active faults. Local government units can check this map for the implementation of land use in their areas.

Mariano also pointed out the importance of the National Building Code. He said new structures should be built in compliance with these guidelines to ensure that they can withstand strong earthquakes.

These efforts can minimize casualties during earthquakes, according to Mariano.

On Monday, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey. So far, over 8,000 people have been reported dead in Turkey and Syria. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News