PUBLIC AWARENESS VS DISASTER. A caravan was held July 31, 2020 in Antique to celebrate the 2020 National Disaster Resilience Month and raise awareness against disasters. Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Broderick Train on Wednesday (Aug. 5, 2020) said the awareness-raising is necessary for people to be informed of what to do in case of disasters and emergencies. (Photo courtesy of Antique PDRRMO)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – The Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has called on residents to safeguard themselves from natural disasters by practicing what they learned from previous training conducted by the local government.
Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Broderick Train on Wednesday said people must capacitate themselves to cope with the pressing situation when there are natural hazards and Covid-19 at the same time.
He made the call after a 4.6-magnitude earthquake jolted Antique around 8:29 a.m. Wednesday with no infrastructure damage reported.
He said based on their monitoring, no structure and facilities were damaged by the earthquake that had its epicenter in the municipality of Patnongon.
“The people, however, felt alarmed because of the earthquake,” he said in an interview.
He said such hazards could be experienced by people, especially during the onset of the rainy season when there is softening of the soil.
“Right now, we have such a complex emergency for aside from the earthquake, we are also having the coronavirus disease 2019,” he said.
“The government services are right now focused on Covid-19 that the people should have to develop their own capabilities to prevent themselves from natural hazards,” he said.
He also said that the PDRRMO could not conduct earthquake drills in the communities because of Covid-19.
However, those who participated in their previous training should always remember to “Drop down to the floor, Cover under the sturdy table or desk and Hold until the earthquake stops” should an earthquake occur.
As part of their intensified awareness-raising last July 31, he said the PDRRMO held a caravan from the northernmost town of Libertad to the southern town of Hamtic, to celebrate the 2020 National Disaster Resilience Month.
“There were around 21 vehicles of the provincial government and national government agencies that participated in the caravan,” he said.
He said that among the agencies that participated were the Department of Education, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Red Cross, Philippine National Police, Department of Public Works and Highways, and the Municipal DRRMOs. (PNA)
