Makati Cited as “Most Earthquake-Prepared” City in Metro Manila

Makati City (PIA) –Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum Jr. has cited Makati City as the most prepared city in Metro Manila against geological hazards including an earthquake.

Speaking at the 10th Asian Seismological Commission (ASC) General Assembly at the Dusit Thani Manila recently, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology chief praised Makati for being the first to adopt earthquake resiliency measures in its structures and establishments.

For his part, Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin S. Binay thanked Solidum for acknowledging the initiatives of the city government in strengthening its disaster preparedness and risk reduction capabilities, which include intensive training of all disaster response personnel at the city and barangay levels and equipment and infrastructure upgrade.

Makati prides itself on having the country’s first risk sensitive land use plan, the New Makati Comprehensive Land Use Plan and its Zoning Ordinance, which takes into consideration the different hazards in the city. The plan was approved by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board in 2013.

The city has also completed its Contingency Plan for Earthquakes and Pre-Disaster Recovery Plan that address identified needs in case an earthquake strikes Metro Manila. Included in the plan are identified open spaces in the city to serve as evacuation areas in case of an earthquake, and the construction of multi-hazards evacuation centers up to five stories high.

Last year, the city Office of the Building Official (OBO) issued a memorandum making it mandatory for buildings 15 years and older to be inspected by a qualified Structural Engineer, and secure a Certification of Structural Stability for submission to the said office. The 22-storey Makati City Hall was certified as structurally sound last year by E.H. Sison Engineers, in accordance with the 4th edition of the Structural Code of the Philippines.

The building is also equipped with three sets of seismographs capable of monitoring ground vibrations. In 2011, the OBO issued a memorandum requiring high rise buildings, both completed and those still under construction, to install seismographs.

Since 2008, the city government has pursued the Makati Risk-Sensitive Urban Redevelopment Project in its pilot area, Barangay Rizal, aiming to transform it from being highly vulnerable to a disaster-resilient community. Its joint efforts with barangay officials and residents, and partner-agencies including Earthquake and Megacities Initiative, German Federal Foreign Affairs Office, PHIVOLCS and other disaster resiliency experts have so far produced earthquake and fire evacuation plans identifying escape routes and holding areas, and proper signage were installed to mark fault zones and evacuation routes.

Throughout the city, the Makati Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (DRRMO) regularly conducts trainings and workshops for barangay officials, personnel and first responders on topics that include mass casualty incident command system and preparation of contingency plans and recovery plans, among others. The DRRMO also conducts earthquake evacuation drills in the barangays in collaboration with national agencies that include the Bureau of Fire Protection-Makati, Makati Police Department and Philippine Red Cross.

In his welcome remarks delivered before expert scientists and researchers in the ASC general assembly on Tuesday, Binay underscored that collaborative and cooperative practice of scientists in the region is still the most effective strategy in mitigating the impact of earthquakes.

“Designing strategies to counter the impact of earthquakes cannot be done in isolation. Study results in one area cannot and must not be utilized only for that particular location. The information becomes more beneficial when shared with other local and regional governments, agencies, institutions and organizations,” he said.

Binay praised the Asian Seismological Commission for actively promoting and practicing regional and intergovernmental cooperation, and serving as a venue of experts for further exchange information, and risk assessment tools and earthquake engineering strategies. (ICRD/RJB/JCP/PIA-NCR)

Image Credit: en.wikipedia.org