ILOILO – The Iloilo provincial government is reinforcing its earthquake monitoring and warning systems following a magnitude 4.2 quake that jolted Guimbal town on October 15, prompting Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. to call for an urgent technical meeting with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).
An earthquake is a sudden shaking of the ground caused by movements along faults or by volcanic activity beneath the earth’s crust.
The Philippines, located along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” experiences frequent tremors — some of which can cause serious damage and loss of life.
The meeting, held at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol on October 16, gathered experts from PHIVOLCS Central Office led by Senior Science Research Specialist Engr. Melchor Lasala and Science Research Assistant John Paul Fallarme, along with Dr. Alfonso Baldonado III, chief of the Admin and Training Division of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
Defensor emphasized the need to upgrade the province’s seismic monitoring network, saying a stronger system is crucial to ensure rapid disaster response and public safety.
“We need to improve our existing Intensity Meter here at the Provincial Capitol to make it more effective in capturing earthquake data,” he said, noting that Iloilo must be capable of providing timely alerts to communities during seismic events.
The governor sought PHIVOLCS’ technical guidance on modernizing the current Intensity Meter and adopting new technologies for real-time detection and transmission of earthquake information to authorities and residents.
The discussion also covered potential communication upgrades that could enable automatic alerts once seismic activity is detected — part of a broader strategy to enhance the province’s disaster preparedness.
Defensor further inquired whether the recent series of earthquakes across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao were connected.
Engr. Lasala clarified that these tremors were caused by natural tectonic movements along the country’s numerous trenches.
“The movement of tectonic plates is a natural phenomenon indicative of the earth’s dynamic geological activity,” Lasala said. “While significant earthquakes can cause immediate concern, aftershocks are a normal response and may last for weeks, which is why sustained readiness is essential.”
PHIVOLCS director Teresito Bacolcol earlier reminded the public that the Philippines experiences about 30 earthquakes daily due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire.” He cited recent strong quakes — a magnitude 6.8 that hit Bogo City, Cebu on September 30, and twin temblors of magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 that struck Manay, Davao Oriental on October 10 — as reminders of the country’s vulnerability./PN