Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (PNA file photo)
MANILA – Department of National Defense (DND) Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Thursday underscored the need for Filipinos to be always prepared for the occurrence of earthquakes as part of efforts to mitigate the effects of disasters.
"Noong nakalipas na taon ay mga naganap na malalakas na paglindol meron po sa Abra, at sa iba't ibang bahagi ng ating bansa. Nagdulot ito ng mga pinsala at pagkasawi ng ilang natin mga kababayan. Naganap din nitong Pebrero ang isang napakalakas at mapaminsalang lindol sa bansang Turkiye na kumikitil ng napakaraming buhay at sumira sa mga napakaraming gusali at ari-arian (In the past year, a lot of strong earthquake took place, including those in Abra and other parts of the country. These caused damage and deaths among our countrymen. Last February, a very powerful and damaging earthquake took place in Turkiye which claimed a lot of lives and destroyed a lot of buildings and other properties)," Teodoro said in his message read by Office of Civil Defense deputy administrator for operations, Assistant Secretary Hernando Caraig Jr. during the third quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) in Tagbilaran City, Bohol.
Bohol was selected as the ceremonial site for this quarter’s NSED to mark the 10th anniversary of the magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck the province on Oct. 15, 2013.
Teodoro, who is also the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) chair, said these instances proved that earthquakes do not pick a time or place to strike.
"Today's NSED is the third in the series of activities of the NDRRMC for 2023 aligned with our continuing effort to build the preparedness of our people against earthquake emergencies," the DND chief said.
He also added that NSED aims to ensure that all Filipinos are aware of what they need to do in case a massive earthquake hits their communities.
Aside from this, these drills also aim to assure the public that the government is well aware of the danger and taking steps to protect the citizenry against this disaster.
"We have nurtured the ability to appreciate the lessons of sad and grim experiences that came along with our dealings with disasters. These lessons make us understand the whys and wherefores of calamities, of our shortcomings, in areas that really need improvement. Through the Filipino genius, we remain relentless in making our country fit to surmount these struggles. We embraced proactiveness and effectively attended to the various thematic areas of DRRM which are the prevention and mitigation, preparedness, response, rehabilitation and recovery," Teodoro said.
He also added the Philippines also has adapted a comprehensive disaster risk reduction approach that focuses on decreasing vulnerabilities, and increasing the resilience of communities. (PNA)
