MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has instructed the Office of the Civil Defense to review the earthquake disaster preparedness program of the Philippines.
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde issued the statement Thursday in light of the massive earthquake that devastated the impoverished Carribean country Haiti Wednesday where thousands of people were feared dead.
Remonde said it is timely that the earthquake preparedness be reviewed since the country is in the Pacific Ring of Fire, area of frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
“In view of what happened to Haiti and considering that the Philippines is also in the so called Pacific Ring of Fire and have vulnerability to such kind of tragedy, we need to review our earthquake preparedness so the President in fact instructed the Office of the Civil Defense and other related agencies to also really review our earthquake disaster preparedness.”
He added that one of the programs needs to be reinforced is regular earthquake drill in private and public establishments. (Jill Beltran/Sunnex)