The Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils in Western Visayas are performing well, an assessment by Rosario Cabrera, Office of the Civil Defense regional director and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council chairperson, showed.

Cabrera, who was in Bacolod yesterday for the nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill, said it was spearheaded by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council was held to heighten awareness of the need to improve the LDRRMC’s earthquake preparedness.

It was also aimed to highlight the communication exercise with the NDRRMC to test the effectiveness and efficiency of the communication system, that became operationalized early this year, in collaboration with LDRRMCS, national line agencies, and other stakeholders, she said.

She said that in 2006, out of 22 recipients of the National Gawad Kalasag Award, 11 came from Region 6.

The recipients of the award included Bacolod and Bago cities, while the Chamber Volunteer Fire Brigade is already a Hall of Famer, having been a recipient of the same award for three consecutive years, she said.

The national simultaneous earthquake drill was participated in by the City Government of Bacolod led by Mayor Monico Puentevella, the Office of the Civil Defense, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management and several rescue and fire volunteers at Rizal Elementary School to train school children in disaster preparedness.

“Let us remember that we were hit by 6.9 magnitude earthquake sometime in 2012.” And in 2013 Bohol was hit by 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Region 6 has five major earthquake generators which makes us susceptible to earthquake, thus the need for us to strengthen our disaster management capability to cope with any disaster that come our way particularly earthquake,” Cabrera said.

The major earthquake generators for Region 6 are the West Panay, Central Negros, Zone of Collision between the Island of Palawan and Mindoro, Tablas faults, she said.

Cabrera told the school children that the drill is in line with the 1st Quarter National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill to heighten awareness among the children who are the most vulnerable during disasters.

During the drill, school children engaged in simulation of an actual earthquake.

The drill caused heavy traffic congestion with the closure of Rosario-Araneta streets and Libertad Street from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., drawing several complaints from commuters, who were trapped in traffic.

Insp. Roger Ong, officer-in-charge of the Traffic Management Unit, said that the closure and traffic diversions were only temporary.

Meanwhile, Puentevella said the drill was necessary to let school children learn how to react in times of disasters like earthquake and fire.

Meanwhile, government offices and departments in Silay City participated in the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill yesterday, a press release from Silay City Hall said.

The activity was spearheaded by the Silay Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office together with the Bureau of Fire and Protection, and the Philippine National Police.

Joining the drill were acting Silay City Administrator Noel Doloriac, Silay LDRRMO Officer Zhephard Caelian, Silay BFP Chief/ Fire Inspector Vincie Jojo Aldeguer, Chief of Police/Police Supt. Jacob Crisostomo, Executive Assistants Salvador Ascalon, Jr. and Roy Golez, City Health Educator Alan Rojo and some government employees.

Aldeguer said the drill is in relation to Republic Act. No. 10121 or known as the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010. He added that their team will join the Fire Olympics that will end March 31.*CGS/SGG

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