The Office of The Civil Defense XI, on Monday, reminded the public to have their go bags prepared in case of any disaster.
“Dapat naa mo’y isa-isa ka go bag, per individual, asawa, anak, andaman og go bag, kung naa’y sunog emergency mao gamiton (You should have one Go Bag for each individual, for the wife, each for the children. If there is a fire or any emergency it can be used,” OCD XI Regional Director Ednar Dayanghirang said in an interview with Davao City Disaster Radio.
Dayanghirang said that having a Go Bag is an important symbol of preparedness in every household.
Having a Go Bag, comes with knowledge what are the hazards in your area if your area is prone to either fire, earthquake, flood, or any other hazards, Dayanghirang said.
Each emergency go bag should have a flashlight and extra batteries, radio, maps/identification cards and personal documents, chargers and powerbanks, food and water, survival army knife, blankets and clothing, personal hygiene kit, medicine and first aid kit, and cash.
Dayanghirang said that over the weekend, pre-emptive evacuation was advised for areas in the Davao Region due to a tsunami advisory, as the region experienced a series of earthquakes and aftershocks.
Dayanghirang underscores the importance of community preparedness in times of emergency, such as earthquakes, and suggests that emergency earthquake drills must be conducted at the purok level to prepare for emergency response.
He said that the conduct of purok level drills is among the ways forward to be conducted by their office, in coordination with local governments, to address the readiness concerns raised by citizens who were recently informed about faultlines during the Walk the Fault activity in Barangay Catalunan Pequeño, Barangay Sto. Niño, and Barangay Tugbok on November 20-24.
“Matag purok i-drill, importante ni para psychologically prepared ang tao aron makahibalo unsay himuon pag naay mahitabong earthquake (Each purok will undergo a drill, this is important so that the public will be psychologically prepared and will know what do in time of earthquake),” Dayanghirang said.
