Balabagan, LANAO DEL SUR- Around two hundred
fifty (250) residents of the coastal barangay of Banago in this town,
considered as tsunami prone area, participated on Saturday, 23 July 2016 during
the conduct of “Community Flood/Tsunami Drill” sponsored by the Office of Civil
Defense-ARMM.
The one-day activity were also participated
in by the Balabagan MDRRMC, Barangay LGUs of Banago and Narra, PNP- Municipal
Police Station- Balabagan, Bureau of Fire Protection-Balabagan, and the 6th
Infantry (Redskin) Battalion.
OCD-ARMM Operations Section Chief Engr. Amier
Ashan Aplal, said that during the drill, the spot has suffered a 7.9 magnitude
earthquake in which later on have generated tsunami along the coastal areas.
“The drill seeks to strengthen the mechanism
for coordination, as well as the interoperability of key players. We would want
to intensify local communities’ preparedness and increase the commitment of
local government units in building safe communities,” said Aplal.
Edward Ryan Barrete, MDRRMO of Balabagan, has
expressed gratitude to those who took part in the conduct of the one-day
activity.
“Many thanks to the Civil Defense team for
spearheading this drill, to our partner agencies, and also to the populace of
Balabagan. Let us continue to help one another in achieving zero casualty,”
said Barrete.
Myrna J. Angot, OIC of the Office of Civil
Defense-ARMM, said one of the objectives of the drill is to pursue “community
resiliency” and to test the local government’s preparedness in responding to
emergency situations.
“This is to prevent hazards from having such
a devastating impact and that enhancing the resilience of the community in
disasters like earthquake and tsunami is a responsibility of all authorities
and stakeholders involved,” said Angot.
In a separate interview, PHIVOLCS Cotabato
Station Head Engr. Rainier Amilbahar, said the drill is significant because it
provides the locales the basics of what to do during calamities.
“The drill is aimed at increasing and
ensuring the safety of the people during and after the incident, evacuation of
the affected constituents, with focus on women, children, elderly and persons
with disabilities,” said Amilbahar.
Accordingly, the coastlines in both Lanao del
Sur and Maguindanao along the Moro Gulf, are dotted with vast communities that
were struck by a deadly tsunami in the evening of August 17, 1976.
Meanwhile, Aplal said that in the case of
flooding incident, is important to be prepared to evacuate before water levels
rise and potentially cut off evacuation routes.
The “Community Flood/Tsunami Drill” is still
part of the observance of the National Disaster Consciousness Month 2016 that
carries the theme “"Kahandaan at Pagtugon sa Sakuna, Tungkulin ng Bawat
Isa". (GILMHAR A. LAO-MINDANAO
EXPOSE’ with PHOTO BY JELLY FUENTES-DATUCALI)
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