Dingdong Dantes presses officials on sustaining earthquake preparedness

Kapuso actor Dingdong Dantes on Friday pressed government officials on how they could ensure the public's awareness of earthquake preparedness measures wouldn't fade only shortly after the information campaign was launched recently.

Dantes, a commissioner of the National Youth Commission, asked authorities at the GMA News Online-I M Ready Earthquake Preparedness Forum about their plans to sustain the program.

"We are very grateful that we have these information campaigns especially now. Pero alam naman natin na minsan kasi 'pag lumipas na, tapos na natin talakayin at pag-usapan, may tendency po na makalimutan," Dantes said.

"Ano pa ba ang further steps to enhance [information campaigns] all the more?" he added.

Metro Manila Development Authority chairman Atty. Francis Tolentino said Metro Manila's readiness was at less than five on a scale of one to ten during the discussions.

"Maganda ang question ni Dong. Next week, we expect to meet the 72 barangay chairmen of the 72 barangays straddling West Valley Fault. Next week, we intend to roll out our mobile earthquake house," Tolentino said.

The mobile earthquake house works to simulate different earthquake intensities up to Intensity Ten so residents will have an idea what to expect, on top of the usual earthquake drills.  

Tolentino said that the MMDA was working on a night time earthquake drill that requires the help of the malls and telecommunication companies and the entire business sector to simulate a post-earthquake scenario in Metro Manila.

This includes power and mobile phone signal shutdown.

 The MMDA chairman also said that the agency planned to have a Metro Manila-wide earthquake drill.

From these plans, Tolentino hoped residents would start to develop a "culture of preparedness."

Where to go

The forum was organized after Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) released the Valley Fault System (VFS) Atlas that mapped the areas affected by earthquake faults in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

During the forum, the panel of experts listed the specific places residents can go to after an earthquake.

Tolentino said people can go to Veterans golf course, Intramuros golf course, and Wack-Wack golf course. PHIVOLCS director Renato Solidum said the public can also go to cemeteries, aside from other open spaces.

They can also go to QC Memorial Circle, Amaranto Sports Complex, UP Diliman, and parking areas. -NB, GMA News