After the Philippines was included among areas that could feel the effects of a powerful quake in Taiwan, Senator Robin Padilla reiterated the need to prepare citizens to respond to calamities by undergoing military training.
Speaking at the start of the Basic Citizen Military Course at the Senate, Padilla stressed that basic military training for citizens will prepare them not only for war, but for disaster response.
“Hindi lang ito usapin ng giyera.”
“Iba pa rin kung tayo mismo, trained, alam natin kung anong gagawin natin pag may emergency. Hindi lang ito usapin ng giyera… Itong ginagawa nating ito para sa kapayapaan at kaligtasan ng kapwa natin,” the legislator said.
On Wednesday morning, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued a tsunami warning for four areas in northern Luzon after Taiwan was hit by a powerful quake.
Also, the lawmaker pointed out to the Senate employees who took part in the training that the government’s services cannot be disrupted by a calamity or emergency.
The senator thanked the Philippine Navy Naval Reserve Command under Maj. Gen. Joseph Ferrous Soriano Cuison for conducting the training.
“Dito sa training natin malalaman natin sino ang leader natin, sino ang susundin natin, ano ang protocol natin para sa pagdating ng emergency.”
“Ang kailangan natin matutunan ang ituturo sa atin paano ang may leader (at) may follower. Dito sa Pilipinas… kaunti ang follower, gusto lahat leader. Dito sa training natin malalaman natin sino ang leader natin, sino ang susundin natin, ano ang protocol natin para sa pagdating ng emergency. Alam natin ang chain of command. Hindi tayo nalilito, hindi tayo natataranta. Lahat tayo may say, lahat may papel, lahat kumikilos,” he concluded.
