Bartolome Bautista, deputy director of Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), points to the epicenter of the magnitude 6.8 earthquake which hit central Philippines on Monday Feb. 6, 2012 during a news conference at suburban Quezon city, northeast of Manila, Philippines. Officials said the quake in central Philippines killed at least five people as it destroyed buildings, triggered landslides that buried dozens of houses, trapping residents and listed 29 more as missing. (MNS photo)
MANILA (Mabuhay) – After the deadly magnitude-7.2 quake that devastated Central Visayas, Malacañang on Saturday pushed for quake preparedness measures at the community and family levels.
Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said families should draw up and review their own measures, saying disaster preparedness starts at home.
“We highly encourage everybody to review your family’s disaster preparedness measures. Kung lahat tayo maihanda ang pamilya natin, malaking bagay ‘yan,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.
Her call came amid reports that the West Valley Fault Line could move every 200 to 400 years, with the last major movement occurring 200 years ago.
So far, she said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has been distributing geo-hazard maps to local governments.
“Ang pinakamagandang panangga rito, ihanda natin ang ating pamilya,” she said.
In the meantime, she urged the public to make sure their homes are structurally sound.
She also said government preparedness measures “will be for naught if citizens do not cooperate.”
“If we can take care of our families and contribute to the preparedness of communities, malaking bagay ‘yan (it will go a long way) to make sure there will be less relief and rehabilitation necessary in times of calamities,” she said.
The Phivolcs in also constant communication with institutions near the West Valley Fault Line, she added.
“When institutions are given information, it’s their responsibility to make sure their structures are sound,” she said. (MNS)