MANILA, (PIA) — The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) announced Wednesday it is intensifying disaster preparedness efforts to strengthen public infrastructure against a potential major earthquake, locally known as “The Big One.”
Over 2,000 response assets have been positioned nationwide, including more than 500 quick-response equipment units deployed in Metro Manila to enable immediate disaster response.
“Everyone needs to prepare… to make sure that public and private infrastructure are ready in case of any calamities in the country,” said DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral during a Palace press briefing. She emphasized the need for local government units and other agencies to support these efforts.
The department has assessed more than 21,000 public buildings, including schools and health facilities, recommending many for retrofitting to meet international earthquake standards.
“We have completed retrofitting for some structures, which means raising their standard to meet international earthquake requirements,” Cabral said, noting the program extends beyond buildings to include bridges and other critical infrastructure.
Bridges in Metro Manila, critical to the National Capital Region’s economy, undergo annual assessments to determine structural integrity and necessary repairs.
“We have a program where all bridges, especially national bridges, are assessed every year… so we can program whether they need repair, rehabilitation, replacement or retrofitting,” she added.
The agency has also provided technical assistance to other government departments, including the Department of Transportation, to evaluate the structural integrity of railways and light rail systems.
The DPWH’s intensified preparedness efforts come in the wake of a 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, heightening awareness of the need for disaster resilience against “The Big One,” a major earthquake scenario long anticipated to affect the Philippines. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
