Phivolcs asked to allay fears on quakes thru effective info campaign

To allay fears and encourage preparedness in responding to earthquakes, a Senator on Thursday urged the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to assure that scientific information they gather is effectively shared to public.
(Photo: Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS-DOST)/Facebook)

MANILA—To allay fears and encourage preparedness in responding to earthquakes, a Senator on Thursday urged the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) to assure that scientific information they gather is effectively shared to public.

Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV made this call after a series of earthquakes rocked different parts of the country which prompted some people to panic and spread false information online predicting the exact date and location of the “Big One.”

“Scientific data gathered by Phivolcs is crucial in the mitigation, preparedness and response to the hazards and impacts of earthquakes,” Aquino said.

The senator also pointed out that there have also been articles that present “contradictory” safety tips in case of earthquakes and disasters.

Aquino, meanwhile, filed Senate Resolution No. 343 seeking proper information dissemination to help government agencies, local government units (LGUs) and communities mitigate, respond and recover from the effects of earthquakes.

In April, 11 earthquakes of at least 5.0 magnitude rocked different parts of the country, including Batangas, Lanao del Sur and Davao.

Phivolcs has already installed earthquake monitoring equipment in Wao, Lanao del Norte and Dinagat Island to enhance its observation capabilities on earth movement.

The agency currently operates a network of 93 seismic stations spread across the Philippines to determine the location and characteristics of earthquakes.