Towards Safer Cities, Preparing for the Big One

The Corporate Network for Disaster Response (CNDR) in partnership with the American Chamber Foundation Philippines Inc. (ACFPI) recently held its first earthquake preparedness forum entitled Towards Safer Cities: An Earthquake Preparedness Forum last April 26, 2010 in Makati City. Forty three attendees representing 27 member companies of the CNDR and the American Chamber of Commerce gathered together to learn how individuals, businesses, and local government prepare for significant earthquakes.

Speakers for the event were: Mr. Felino “Jun” Palafox, Jr., a well known architect and environmental planner, presented concrete steps included in a ten year program that the government could take in order to address the disaster situation in the country; Mr. Ishmael Narag, Supervising Science Research Specialist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLOCS), showed the basic concepts on earthquake and related hazards plus highlights of the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study undertaken by the Earthquakes and Megacities Initiative from 2002-2004; Cristian Caong, the Business Continuity Section Head of Manila Water, provided an actual sample of Manila Water’s Earthquake Preparedness Plan (EPP) and lessons learned during and after their drafting of the plan; and a representative from the Makati City Disaster Coordinating Council and a Search and Rescue Officer and Supervisor for Operations of the Makati Command Control and Communication, Mr. Edwin Aguilar, presented the city’s impressive EPP, Disaster Risk Reduction Activities and some of Makati city’s initiatives in community preparedness.

The participants were also asked to do a quick workshop where they answered questions how the private sector can actively engage in earthquake preparedness.

CNDR Executive Director Hilda Tabar-Cleofe plans to bring the forum to various cities in Metro Manila. “I am satisfied with the workshop results and received positive feedback from the participants. We are now planning the next forum and we’d like to have Pasig as the next venue.”

The Towards Safer Cities forum aims to provide valuable insight and information regarding pertinent matters involving Earthquake Preparedness, and to come up with concrete recommendations for Earthquake Preparedness Planning in urban areas.