In a relentless bid to promote disaster preparedness and foster understanding of earthquake impacts, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) will hold its 2nd Earthquake Preparedness Summit from April 8 to April 9, 2025, at the Madison 101 Hotel in Quezon City.
Themed “A Heightened Preparedness and Readiness to Respond,” the summit advocates for a holistic approach to earthquake preparedness and self-preservation beyond the basic “duck, cover, and hold” procedure.
This gathering is particularly relevant following the magnitude 7.7 tremor that struck Myanmar on March 28, resulting in over 3,000 fatalities and nearly 5,000 injuries. OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno has emphasized that the Philippines needs to catch up in its preparations, especially considering the potential next movement of the West Valley Fault (WVF).
Attending the conference will be subject matter experts from various organizations, including the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Lumina Ventures, the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
According to the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study, the WVF has moved four times in the past 1,400 years, with an average interval of 400 years between movements. The last major earthquake generated by the fault occurred in 1658, indicating that the potential fifth movement is “long overdue.”
The preparedness summit will highlight key strategies from government agencies, the private sector, and civil society organizations, contributing to a whole-of-nation approach to update the Harmonized National Contingency Plan (HNCP). Prepared by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the HNCP will serve as the Philippines’ action plan in the event of a strong earthquake, detailing pre-arranged response actions across Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao to assist affected areas.
“A whole-of-nation approach to earthquake preparedness is crucial to minimize casualties and damage,” Nepomuceno stated. “This requires intensified collaboration among government agencies, the private sector, civil society organizations, the academe, and the general public to build community resilience and reduce the impacts of earthquakes.”
Attending the conference will be subject matter experts from various organizations, including the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Lumina Ventures, the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Participants in the tabletop exercises will focus on local planners and responders.
The OCD invites the public to join the Earthquake Preparedness Summit by watching the livestream of the opening program and press conference on the Civil Defense PH Facebook page, starting at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow.
