MULING nagsagawa ng malawakan at sabay sabay na pambansang pagsasanay sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa bilang paghahanda sa tinaguriang “The big one” o malakas na paglindol at iba pang kalamidad.
Ang first quarter nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill ay ginanap alas-9 ng umaga nitong Lunes, Marso 25 na sinalihan ng iba’t ibang tanggapan pampubliko man o pribado, mga paaralan at ibat ibang ahensiya ng gobyerno.
Ang Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo sa Quezon City ang nagsilbing ceremonial site.
Ayon sa Office of Civil Defense, makatutulong ang drill sa pagtaya ng pagiging epektibo ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council at member agencies nito sa pagresponde sa simulated disaster scenario sa pamamagitan ng pagsasanay ng communication protocols, coordination mechanisms, at resource mobilization.
Ayon kay Civil Defense Administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, “We ask for the participation of various sectors in this activity. We will continue to hold NSED as part of our effort to strengthen the earthquake preparedness of the public. However, while the NSED teaches us what to do during an earthquake, this activity is not enough. There are more strategies and interventions that we must implement.”
Sa kanyang mensahe, sinabi naman ni Department of Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. na ang earthquake drill ay mahalaga upang mapalakas ang paghahanda sa pagdating ng malakas na paglindol.
“In our pursuit to create an earthquake-resilient nation, science serves as an indispensable ally. The Department of Science and Technology has developed groundbreaking technologies to assist us in this mission,” ani Solidum.
Nanawagan si Solidum sa publiko na makipagtulungan sa pamahalaan upang mas maging handa laban sa mga lindol, sakaling magkaroon ng Magnitude 7.2 earthquake dahil sa paggalaw ng West Valley Fault, at iba pang natural hazards.
Kasama sa ceremonial pressing of the button ang mga kinatawan mula sa Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
VERLIN RUIZ
