THE OFFICE of the Civil Defense XI is targeting the accreditation of communities for tsunami readiness in preparation for the “biggest one.”
During the regional kickoff of National Disaster Resilience Month on Thursday, July 9, in Mati City, Davao Oriental, OCD XI regional director Ednar Dayanghirang said the community tsunami readiness accreditation is a new program under the agency to prepare communities for a tsunami.
Dayanghirang said this program will require a purok-level capacity-building and implementation. The puroks (hamlets) will be provided with 12 requirements they need to accomplish for the accreditation.
“These 12 items will be parameters that will indicate the resilience of the community,” Dayanghirang said.
He cited, for example, the enforcement of early warnings in the community, where traditional systems will be utilized, such as the use of bells instead of electronic devices.
“The community needs to have a bell that can still be used in times of power interruption,” he said.
The official added that the agency will coordinate with local government units and national line agencies.
The accreditation board will come from the national office and an international organization for tsunami preparedness to be in line with international standards.
When asked about the “big one,” Dayanghirang cited PHIVOLCS as saying that the Davao Region will experience “the biggest one.”
“The assumption in Metro Manila is about 7 magnitude, compared to the Davao Region, which is forecasted to experience an 8.2 magnitude, so the biggest one,” he said.
He stressed that when the “biggest one” occurs, coastal areas specifically will be affected by a tsunami.
The improved tsunami readiness was pushed following the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck offshore Sarangani last June 8, which triggered tsunami warnings.
