DUCK, cover and hold.

These were the message of the city's executive assistant Reina Manuel during a simultaneous earthquake drill recently.

Manuel stressed the importance of disaster preparedness.

"We should always be ready. We should always prioritize our safety. In times of an earthquake, remember this drill — duck, cover, and hold," she said.

Manuel added that this is the purpose of the Second Quarter Online National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED), which she had participated.

According to her, the NSED is an opportune time to test the efficiency and usefulness of the preparedness, response and recovery plans and to understand the command and control mechanism in emergency and disaster operation.

"I am encouraging the public to remain vigilant on the announcements regarding earthquakes and to educate one's self through informative materials on how to protect yourself during earthquakes," Manuel said.