Funeral home service owners and operators have agreed to join the July 30 metro-wide quake drill initiated by the Metro Manila Development Authority to test the people’s preparedness in case a powerful earthquake hits the National Capital Region.
MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino on Thursday met officers and members of the Philippine Mortuary Association (PMA) and discussed preparations for the upcoming one-hour drill. The meeting was held at the MMDA central office in Makati City.
Tolentino said when disaster strikes, the PMA group of morticians and funeral parlors will play a big role in the management of the dead as they can help prevent the spread of airborne diseases.
“We need to establish definite roles for every sector involved in disaster preparedness and management as each and everyone should be ready to provide necessary services to the public in times of disaster,” he said.
Under the contingency plan dubbed as Oplan Metro Yakal, the area of President Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard is designated as mass burial site.
Metro Yakal is the MMDA’s plan which focuses on preparedness of government resources and that of private organizations during emergencies.
The agency proposed to President Benigno Aquino III the conduct of an earthquake drill to be held when commercial establishments and government offices are closed.
“They’re doing that in California. Once we experienced the 7.2 magnitude, we will be disrupted for about three weeks. If that happens, we already prepared,” he said.
During an earthquake preparedness forum, Tolentino admitted that Metro Manila is not prepared for a big disaster such as a magnitude 7.2 earthquake.
Members of the Metro Manila Council, the MMDA’s 17-man policy making body, agreed with finality the holding of the event, which according to Tolentino will be similar to the “Great California ShakeOut” that took place on November 13, 2008, where 5.3 million people participated.
“City Halls in Metro Manila would have their own drills. Also, the metro mayors already asked barangay officials in their localities to get involved in the event,” said Tolentino.
The drill, which aimed to properly inform the people about survival methods and the “do’s and dont’s” before, during and after a major disaster like the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit Nepal on April 25.
In case tragedy hits, Metro Manila will be divided into four quadrants.
The government will also use at least three golf courses as evacuation centers. They are Villamor Golf Club in Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, Intramuros Golf Club in Manila and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center Golf Club in Quezon City.
The golf clubs will also be used as relief distribution hub, trauma centers, mobile hospitals, training and command post based on the agreement made by the agency and the management of the golf courses.
The government earlier warned the public of a massive quake if the Valley Fault System moves. The system is comprised of the 10-kilometer East Valley Fault in Rizal, and the 100-kilometer West Valley Fault, which passes through six Metro Manila cities and parts of the Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal provinces.