Three-agency panel draws up emergency plans in case ‘Big One’ occurs

THREE government agencies are developing plans for Metro Manila and nearby provinces to prepare for the so-called “Big One,” referring to a major earthquake.

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Romando Artes and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. have met with officials of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to discuss the contingency plans.

The meeting resulted in a consensus to intensify disaster and emergency response to earthquakes and other calamities in Metro Manila and surrounding areas.

The three agencies also agreed to implement a simultaneous earthquake drill, which will feature the absence of electricity, water, and telecommunication signals to prepare for the expected magnitude 7.2 earthquake caused by the West Valley Fault and tsunami.

Artes said they are also planning to construct the MMDA Disaster Response Training Center in Carmona, Cavite to raise public awareness of disaster preparedness and emergency rescue measures.

Experts believe that the “Big One” will happen anytime and inflict occurring in the first hour alone, over 100,000 injured, and an economic loss of P2.5 trillion.

The three-man panel also aims to inform the public about survival methods and the “do’s and don’ts” before, during, and after the disaster.

Artes emphasized the importance of continuing preparedness for the possibility of the “Big One” in Metro Manila. He enjoined every sector of society to be aware and ready to respond to such catastrophic events.

Experts warn that Metro Manila remains under threat from the Valley Fault System, which is composed of two sections: the 10-km East Valley Fault covering Rodriguez and San Mateo towns in Rizal, and the 100-km West Valley Fault passing through 42 barangays in Makati, Taguig, Marikina, Pasig, Muntinlupa, and Quezon City, as well as 30 barangays in Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, and Laguna.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology also warned that the West Valley Fault might trigger a 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

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