Aiming to strengthen disaster preparedness in the province, the provincial government has joined the 3rd Quarter National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill.

On September 8, Capitol employees were seen practicing the “Duck, Cover, and Hold” following the sound of the alarm, which signaled that the ground was shaking.

After the alarm, the employees evacuated to the open space of the Capitol grounds for safety.

Facilitated by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), the drill was successful, with the employees following the protocols, such as the buddy system and the proper headcount, to ensure that everyone was accounted for and that no one was missing.

These protocols were given to the Capitol employees earlier this week during the Flag Raising and Fellowship. PDRRMO Assistant Department Head Jason Bendulo oriented the employees on the dos and don’ts in times of an earthquake.

“We should always be calm and remember how to avoid hazards during an earthquake. We should not be complacent and wait for the disaster to come. Lives can be saved if we are equipped with enough knowledge in times of crisis,” Bendulo stressed.

Before the drill, the PDRRMO also distributed emergency kits to offices with the attached hotline numbers for emergencies and disasters.

“This is the first face-to-face simultaneous earthquake drill since the pandemic struck. Thus, we should be serious since this is an opportunity and the perfect time to learn and practice disaster preparedness,” Bendulo added.

Aside from the drill conducted at the Provincial Capitol, other offices with their respective evacuation areas also took part on the simultaneous national earthquake drill. By Mark Oliver Alvite