PHIVOLCS to Filipino families: Prepare for earthquakes on your own

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on Thursday urged families to make their own preparations for earthquakes, following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake in Mindanao.

“Yung preparedness, it’s not just the business of our institute, it’s not the business of the Office of Civil Defense. It’s everyone collective duty to prepapre. So sa pamilya natin dapat tayo mismo prepared din tayo on our own,” PHIVOLCS director Teresito Bacolcol said during the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel.

(Preparedness is not just the business of our institute, it’s not the business of the Office of Civil Defense. It’s everyone collective duty to prepare. So, our families must be prepared on our own.)

He added that families should have a plan for when an earthquake occurs in schools, such as deciding where they would meet and what their go-bag contains.

“Huwag mo munang expect na may tulong na darating within the next 72 hours. So ikaw mismo mag-prepare na,” Bacolcol said.

(Do not expect help will arrive within the next 72 hours. You must be prepared.)

He also pointed out the when it comes to preparedness, the public must ensure that their houses and other infrastructure follow the minimum engineering standards.

PHIVOLCS has developed the “How Safe is My House” app, which can be used to evaluate the earthquake vulnerability of a one to two storey concrete hollow block residential building.

Users can answer a 12-question survey covering the age of their home, the material used, wall thickness, past damage, and structural shape.

In March, PHIVOLCS launched the Handa Integrated Platform, which uses geospatial data and artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver early warning information and analytics aimed at enhancing disaster preparedness, strengthening coordination, and building more resilient communities nationwide.

According to Bacolcol, there are 27 potentially active volcanoes and 24 active active volcanoes across the country.

He also said the country experiences at least 30 earthquakes every day.

From 6 p.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. today, PHIVOLCS recorded 180 earthquakes, with the strongest measuring magnitude 4.3.

About 1.59 million individuals have been affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that his Mindanao, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Based on the NDRRMC’s Situational Report No. 13 released on Sunday, 1,599,350 individuals, or 375,664 families, were affected by the earthquake in 580 barangays in the Davao Region and SOCCSKSARGEN.

The NDRRMC also reported a total of 77 fatalities as a result of the earthquake after an additional death was confirmed from the list shared last Friday.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit off the coast of Maasim, Sarangani at 7:37 a.m. on June 8. — JMA, GMA News