THE series of earthquakes that hit Turkiye and Syria — two huge tremors and several aftershocks — resulted in massive loss of lives (at least 33,000 in Turkiye and Syria combined, with thousands more missing), leveling entire swaths of office and residential blocks, deleting from the map whole communities, and striking a debilitating blow on the economies of both countries which are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Although thousands of kilometers from us, the tragedy in Turkiye and Syria strikes an immediate chord of concern in the Philippines, as it surely did in most countries. The overarching question is repeated by peoples of various races from one country to another: what if an earthquake this big happens to us?
Unlike typhoons and hurricanes which can be predicted and the general areas targeted may be known a few hours before they strike, earthquakes are unpredictable. The planet’s crust and ocean floor, layers of land, and lines called faults, are parts of an ever-changing landscape of the planet, and they move as nature intended them to be.
Locally, environmental and disaster mitigation advocates along with concerned government officials are rushing measures to cope with the situation.
Some senators led by Sen. Francis Tolentino renewed their call to amend the country’s National Building Code in preparation for the so-called “The Big One.”
‘For the public, there is a need to maintain a “go bag” of provisions at home or in the car, reviewing what to do in case of quakes such as those learned from the MMDA’s “shake drills” and “Oplan Metro Yakal,” where to regroup and how to react calmly even when pinned down by building debris.’
A study conducted by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 2004 found out that many structures in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces will not withstand the so-called “Big One” — a 7.2 magnitude temblor which experts believe can originate from the Marikina Valley Fault System, particularly the West Valley fault line.
Tolentino said that strengthening the provisions of the Building Code is long overdue since it is necessary to ensure the structural integrity of establishments and their resiliency in the face of a destructive earthquake, not just in Metro Manila or Luzon but anywhere in the Philippines.
The Senate Committee on Public Works is expected to hear this week pending bills that seek to amend Republic Act No. 6541 or the National Building Code of the Philippines which was enacted back in August 1972 or more than five decades ago, during the term of the first President Marcos.
For the public, there is a need to maintain a “go bag” of provisions at home or in the car, reviewing what to do in case of quakes such as those learned from the MMDA’s “shake drills” and “Oplan Metro Yakal,” where to regroup and how to react calmly even when pinned down by building debris.
For national and local officials, they should go the extra mile in ensuring that structural integrity of residential and commercial buildings is checked periodically and strict compliance is enforced.
Nothing can replace raising the level of disaster preparedness among our people, throughout the nation.
