Damalerio shares Bohol quake
story as Manila fears “Big One”
Provincial disaster officer Anthony Damalerio shared Bohol’s earthquake experience at a year-opening forum in Quezon City on the contingencies amid fear of the “Big One” to hit Metro Manila anytime---within this lifetime.
The forum was spearheaded by the Initiatives for Dialogue and Empowerment through Alternative Legal Services (IDEALS) to improve the current framework of “management of the dead, missing and injured (MDMI).”
The IDEALS is a non-government organization providing legal assistance to the marginalized sectors, principally the victims of disasters, farmers, migrant workers and laborers.
Damalerio was the invited resource person to share Bohol’s responses through the MDMI during the devastating magnitude 7.2 earthquake in 2013 that killed over 200 people.
He heads the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), which is the newest and youngest department of the provincial government of Bohol.
Gov. Edgar Chatto has instituted disaster risk reduction and management and climate change adaptation (DRRM-CCA) as a pillar of administration separate from environmental governance.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros keynoted the “Experts Forum on the Management of the Dead, Missing and Injured,” which the IDEALS conducted in partnership with the Humanitarian Leadership Academy (HLA) at the Araneta Center on January 4-5, this year.
Hontiveros chairs both the Senate Committee on Health and Demography and Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality.
IDEALS Exec. Dir. Edgardo Ligon said the continuing series of discussions with key partners and officials in improving the MDMI framework is part of their legislative agenda for disaster prevention and recovery efforts.
The IDEALS is a non-government organization providing legal assistance to the marginalized sectors, principally the victims of disasters, farmers, migrant workers and laborers.
The forum followed the high-level dialogue last year which highlighted the need for a venue to discuss the “contingency plans of the targeted cities in Metro Manila which are predicted to be hit by the ‘Big One’ and how the plans conform to existing laws on MDMI.”
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOILCS) Dir. Renato Solidum, Jr. presented the “likeliest worst” scenario should the Big One come.
The Big One refers to the hypothetical, feared and possible magnitude 7.2 earthquake if the West Valley Fault along the eastern side of Metro Manila cracks and moves.
The fault runs from the heights of Sierra Madre down to Laguna and crosses the eastern side of Quezon City, western side of Marikina City, western part of Pasig City, eastern part of Makati City, parts of Taguig City, and Muntinlupa City.
It moved already four times in the past 1400 years and, on average, it moves every 400 years.
The last time a major earthquake occurred along the fault was in 1658, around 358 years ago.
It could happen within this or the next generation, Solidum forewarned.
The Big One could kill 34,000 people within an hour of its strike in a staggering estimate that does not yet even include the death toll from other disasters which may follow, like fires.
MDMI PROTOCOLS
Damalerio cited the rules and regulations governing the implementation of the management of the dead and missing persons as prescribed by National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Memorandum Circular No. 19, Series of 2016.
Among the circular’s salient points are the responsibilities involving the identification of disaster victims, management of the missing persons, and management of the bereaved families, among others.
Atty. Aileen Almora, IDEALS legal officer, articulated the important provisions of the circular, the lack of awareness about it, and the need for a simplified manual on MDMI.
The forum presented and evaluated the MDMI experiences during such other disasters as typhoons, landslides and even maritime tragedies.
Before Damalerio’s turn, Asst. Reg’l. Dir. Rey Gozon of the Office of Civil Defense of the Eastern Visayas shared their MDMI experience during the supertyphoon Yolanda, which hit just two weeks after the Bohol tremor.
The Philippine Coast Guard recounted the sinking of the princess of the Stars in 2008.
The essential two-day forum also involved insightful, useful policy and management workshops. (Ven rebo Arigo)
*Work from HOME and launch your own Wordpress blog, business or personal website, or online store at
www.dreamhost.com Yes, FREE Wordpress migration from your existing web host.
START your OWN blog site, business or personal website, or e-commerce store at
www.bluehost.com - FREE website transfer..
Latest
Tubag Bohol TopicsLinkback:
https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=120859.0
