Consistent with his call to make weather advisories easier to understand for ordinary Filipinos, Senator Francis Tolentino is also urging the same for earthquake terms and warnings, stressing that effective communication during disasters can save lives.
Tolentino relayed his appeal to Dr. Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) during the senator’s regular radio program “Usapang TOL”.
“This will also help our kababayans plan, prepare, and respond better. Effective communication during disasters can save lives.”
“There are many local words that can be used to make it easier for the common Filipino to understand earthquakes. This will also help our kababayans plan, prepare, and respond better. Effective communication during disasters can save lives,” the legislator said.
The lawmaker added that the agency can use the vernacular to define and differentiate between magnitude and intensity, and other technical terms. The senator cited Filipino words such as “pag-uga, pagyanig, paggalaw,” and “paglindol” as possible examples.
In response, Bacolcol agreed with the lawmaker and shared that Phivolcs has a program called “Danas,” which aims to laymanize scientific terms and warnings.
Tolentino stressed that effective communication is crucial since the Philippines is prone to all kinds of natural disasters due to its geographical location. He also noted recent seismic activities that have been linked to the Manila Trench.
Bacolcol confirmed that Phivolcs has monitored more than 200 earthquake sequences linked to the Manila Trench since December 17, including a magnitude 5.0 earthquake that occured in the Ilocos region last December 19. He added that the Manila Trench, just like the West Valley Fault, is capable of generating a magnitude 8.4 earthquake.
“In the same way that I have been calling on Pagasa to simplify its weather advisories, I have the same appeal for Phivolcs.”
“In the same way that I have been calling on Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) to simplify its weather advisories, I have the same appeal for Phivolcs,” Tolentino stressed. Both agencies are under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
A former Chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Mayor of Tagaytay City, he has extensive experience in disaster response, mitigation, and management.
