Speaker to ascertain readiness vs ‘Big One’

House Speaker Martin Romualdez wants to ensure the preparedness of the government, including first responders, should a strong earthquake hit the country, specifically Metro Manila.

Experts’ projections showed thousands in Metro Manila will be affected in the event of a strong magnitude quake similar to Turkey and Syria rocks the metropolis.

“We want to find out if we are really ready and what the public should do,” Romualdez said.

In a chance interview in Makati City yesterday, he recalled that during the surge of typhoon “Yolanda” in 2013, the first responders ended up victims themselves.

Romualdez, who is from Tacloban, Leyte, experienced the wrath of “Yolanda” firsthand, which is why he is not taking chances in case the dreaded “Big One” occurs.

The first responders to calamities should have backups to replace them and the government should ensure there would be enough people to dig through the rubble. There should also be enough food packs at the ready for the projected thousands that would be affected by an earthquake.

Last Monday, Turkish Ambassador Niyazi Aykol went to Congress to accept Romualdez’s personal donation of $100,000 for the victims of the magnitude-7.8 earthquake in his country.

Romualdez said the ambassador told him that a strong earthquake was imminent but they didn’t think it would be that strong.

The reason Romualdez wants to know how strong an earthquake could the National Capital Region handle.

He said he intends to summon all disaster agencies and first responder units to a meeting to find out if the government has an operational plan.

“Do we have enough equipment and manpower? That’s because the first 24 hours will be very critical and if we don’t have what we need then let’s prepare and anticipate,” he said in English and Filipino.

He added: “We really have to be ready from the rescue to medical attention and food distribution,” he said.

The government, he added, should ascertain the structural integrity of all buildings.