Phivolcs launches ‘Valley Fault System Atlas’

MANILA — The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched on Monday the Valley Fault System (VFS) Atlas, a handbook of large scale maps showing in more detail to boost earthquake preparedness in Metro Manila.

Phivolcs Director Dr. Renato Solidum Jr. said the VFS Atlas, a detailed handbook of large scale maps showing areas traversed by the Valley Fault System, was distributed to local government officials at the Phivolcs building, Diliman, Quezon City.

“The VFS will serve as a guide in making sure that areas traversed by active faults are avoided as sites of houses and structures and considered in various actions to enhance the safety and resilience of communities to strong earthquake events,” Solidum said during the launching held at the Phivolcs Auditorium in Quezon City.

VFS is one of the components activities of Australian Aid Program-funded GMMA Ready project under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and implemented by member agencies of National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

The VFS is an active fault system in Greater Metro Manila Area (GMMA) composed of two fault segments: the 10 km long East Valley Fault (EVF) in Rizal and 100 km long West Valley Fault (WVF), running through Bulacan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite and Laguna.

EVF and WVF can generate large earthquakes with a 6.2 and 7.2 magnitude earthquake, respectively.

“Earthquakes themselves do not kill people. What does kill people is poor planning, inadequate preparedness and the lack of application of appropriate building standards,” said UNDP Philippines Country Director Titon Mitra.

For his part, NDRRMC Executive Director Undersecretary Alexander Pama said the tool will help in the national DRRM effort to build safer, disaster-resilient and climate-change adaptive communities throughout the country.

”The VFS Atlas will aid the NDRRMC, RDRRMC, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, local governments, cities, and municipalities in Pasig, Taguig, Makati, Marikina, Quezon, Muntinlupa, National Capital Region and provincial governments in Rizal, Bulacan and Laguna,” Pama noted.

NDRRMC Chief encourages the extensive use of the tool, so as to keep on making their efforts clearly and harmoniously orchestrated according to the plans and goals they set.