PH holds nationwide earthquake drill for Q1 2026

The Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) for the first quarter of 2026 was held on Thursday across the country as part of efforts to strengthen disaster preparedness and response in case of a strong earthquake.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD), in collaboration with member agencies of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), led a series of activities for the exercise.

The ceremonial pressing of a button in Quezon City formally launched the drill.

After pressing the button, alarms rang and heads of different government agencies performed the “duck, cover, and hold” maneuver. 

This was followed by a tabletop exercise simulating a magnitude 7.2 earthquake triggered by a movement along the West Valley Fault.

The OCD said the scenario was designed to test the coordination and response capabilities should a major earthquake affect Metro Manila and nearby regions.

The activity served as a preliminary exercise ahead of the full-scale earthquake drills scheduled in the succeeding quarters of 2026.

Authorities said the drill also aims to strengthen coordination among national and regional response systems and assess operational readiness during a high-magnitude earthquake scenario or “The Big One.”

The OCD also encouraged the public and institutions to participate in earthquake preparedness activities as part of broader efforts to improve disaster resilience. — JMA, GMA Integrated News