Baguio City – The Cordillera office of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD-CAR) , in partnership with the city government and various stakeholders, were able to successfully implement the mandatory earthquake drill dubbed’Baguio shake drill’Thursday with the active participation of both government and the private sector.
At 10:30 am, the sound of an emergency situation (Siren of City Hall and fire trucks, ringing of school bells, and others) signify the start of the earthquake drill and the occurrence of the strong earthquake. The alarm lasted for one minute that signified the shaking of the ground. Depending on where the people were located, the company, school, or institution also sounded off their own alerts and bells through their public address (PA) systems.
This exercise was geared to prepare individuals, households, and institutions for a 7.2-magnitude earthquake. And all of Baguio City’s 128 barangays are expected to participate in the drill.
Local residents and workers did not have an idea why they rang the siren while in fact the siren was only ring every 6:00 am,12:00 pm, and 5:00 pm but it rang at 10:30 am. The reason why the siren rang was to remind the people that an earthquake drill was happening and they need to practice the safety precautions during this kind of calamity.
While lots of people of Baguio were busy roaming around the City, many of them also joined the said activity and followed what the people in charge were saying, where they instructed the people on how and what to do? And to keep themselves at safe when they experience this. They did this activity to give the people an idea on how they will manage themselves and to keep their family safe at risk. The drill conducted last Thursday, March 31 from 10:30 am to 11:30 am in the entire City. Search and rescue also took place at SM City Baguio, University of the Cordilleras, Saint Louis University, Baguio Country Club, Philippine Military Academy, and Philippine Economic Zone Authority-Baguio complex.
All residents were invited to participate in the drill whether they were in school, in the office or on the road. Government and disaster management officials, responders, and volunteers also performed their duties and actively taking part in the Baguio City Shake Drill.
Observers noted that the event was successful and that concerned agencies will make the appropriate recommendations on how to improve in the further conduct of similar activities in the future to make people disaster resilient for them to be able to save lives and protect properties.
By JASON DE GUZMAN, Jofer Angela Garcia and Breach Belle Chinayog
