Dipolog City DRRMC conducts earthquake drill

By Alfonso T. Ruda

DIPOLOG CITY,DEC.11 (PIA) - - The Dipolog City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) has recently conducted an earthquake drill in Barangay Sicayab, this city.

The earthquake drill, conducted inside the Sicayab National High School campus was participated in by an estimated 800 students of the said school.

Dipolog City Councilor Atty. Cyril Ruiz, the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office Adviser said, the earthquake drill was in compliance with the memorandum of National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Executive Director Benito Ramos, who is also the Administrator of the Office of Civil Defense calling for the simultaneous earthquake drill for the fourth quarter of 2012.

The performance of the participants of the drill was evaluated by the members of the Evaluation Team coming from the various agencies like Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs); Philippine National Police; Bureau of Fire Protection; CDRRMO; media and Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

During the drill, the students were tested on how they would react and what they would do during emergency situation especially during the occurrence of an earthquake when they are inside the building.

Mr. Victor Bernedo, Civil Defense Officer, Zamboanga del Norte Coordinator  said Sicayab National High School will be the city’s entry to the regional competition on disaster preparedness.

The school was chosen to be the city’s representative to the regional competition on disaster preparedness after an initial evaluation on the school’s capability to respond to emergency situations, like earthquake and tsunami.

Ms. Josefina Tan, the school Principal was elated that her school was chosen to be the city’s representative to the regional competition as she vowed to equip Sicayab National High School with the needed equipment and gadgets that maybe needed in times of disaster.

She assured that her administration will gradually equip their school with the equipment needed during disaster, most especially that majority of their students are residing along the shoreline. (JPA/ATR/PIA9-Zambo Norte)