The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) of Davao City lauded the participation of government and private offices, establishments, and malls in the nationwide earthquake drill on March 9, but also called on Dabawenyos to take it more seriously in the future.
During the Madayaw Davao program of 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio Friday, March 10, CDRRMO chief Retired PCol. Alfred Baloran urged people to treat the drill like a real scenario, emphasizing the importance of muscle memory in knowing what to do during an actual earthquake.
While the drill was considered a success, Baloran rated the city’s performance at eight to nine, stating that there is still room for improvement.
He said there were a lot of government and private offices and establishments that have joined the activity. The city’s malls were also very active, requiring their customers to vacate the buildings.
He also reminded the public that earthquakes must not be taken lightly, especially in light of recent tremors in the Davao region. On March 6, a magnitude 5.3 earthquake shook parts of the area, followed by two more significant tremors with magnitudes ranging from 5.6 to 5.9 on March 7.
He also said there will be more nationwide earthquake drills as the recently-concluded one was for the first quarter of this year.
Baloran underscored the need to take earthquake drills seriously, as these exercises could mean the difference between life and death during an actual disaster
“Dili ni dula-dula kay lahi baya in actual na gina-perform kung naa’y ground shaking. Dapat ma-feel gyud during exercise nga real gyud sya. Ang uban dapat seryosuhon gyud, dili magsige katawa. Kung ipa-evacuate, mura lang pud naglakaw-lakaw sa mall, gatext-text pa (It’s not a game because what happens during the actual ground shaking is different. They should feel like it’s the real thing during the exercise. Others who were laughing should take it seriously. When told to evacuate, they seemed to be just strolling in the mall while texting).”
Although no major damages to buildings were reported, Baloran stated that some hairline cracks were observed, and these will be assessed by the City Engineer’s Office.
The CDRRMO closely monitors areas such as overpasses in Matina Crossing and J.P. Laurel Avenue, as well as Matina Pangi and Guadalupe in Maa, whenever there is a ground shaking.
As the city prepares for future nationwide earthquake drills, Baloran called on the public to take the necessary precautions and participate fully to ensure the safety of all Dabawenyos. CIO
