ILOILO — The Iloilo provincial government carried out its first quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) at the Provincial Capitol on March 12, as disaster officials stressed that continuous preparedness exercises could save lives when a real earthquake hits.
The drill, organized by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), simulated a magnitude 6.8 earthquake, prompting the orderly evacuation of capitol employees and transacting clients to designated safe zones at the Capitol grounds.
Everick Paul Bedonia, officer-in-charge of the Operations and Warning Division of the PDRRMO and incident commander during the exercise, said the evacuation and response were executed smoothly.
“Sa assessment naton, maayo man ang aton pag-execute, ang pag-evacuate orderly man kag nakita man naton nga nakaplastar man sang insakto nga lugar ang aton nga mga empleyado, sa designated nila nga evacuation areas,” Bedonia told Panay News.
The open capitol grounds served as the designated evacuation area for employees and visitors after leaving the building.
To simulate an emergency response, three individuals were designated as “patients” or “victims” trapped inside the building. They were extracted by rescuers and given first aid by responders from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Provincial Health Office (PHO), Emergency Responders of Iloilo (EROI), PAVCARES, K9 units, and other volunteer groups.
Bedonia said responders properly handled the simulated victims and followed safety protocols during the rescue operation.
However, he noted that communication among responders could still be improved, particularly in relaying instructions to search-and-rescue teams. To address this, the PDRRMO plans to conduct walkthroughs or role-playing sessions with partner agencies before future drills.
“Sa aton sa PDRRMO and all the players maka-roleplaying, kumbaga maka-walk through kami two days before or a day before the actual drill para at least makita namon ang gaps and challenges,” Bedonia said.
Bedonia emphasized that regular earthquake drills are crucial in ensuring that people remember the basic life-saving actions during a quake — the widely promoted “Duck, Cover, and Hold” method.
“Through continuous drills and awareness, we ensure that every Ilonggo is ready when disaster strikes. The First Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) is to strengthen earthquake preparedness and promote a culture of safety in our communities,” he added.
The PDRRMO also hopes that all 43 local government units (LGUs) in Iloilo province conducted their own earthquake drills as part of the nationwide exercise to raise community awareness on proper actions during earthquakes.
The importance of preparedness was underscored by a magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck Guimbal, Iloilo on March 2, the most recent tremor recorded in the province./PN
