Quake drill postponed due to ‘National Day of Protest’

FILE: Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana (PNA Photo)

MANILA — Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday announced the postponement of the 3rd Quarter National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) which was earlier scheduled to be held in Bacoor City, Cavite on Sept. 21.

This is in wake of President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to declare the said date as a “National Day of Protest” and announced the suspension of government work and classes in public schools.

The ceremonial venue was supposed to be at the Strike Gymnasium, 2 p.m. this Thursday.

Since most of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Councils have selected government offices and schools as pilot areas, the NDRRMC deemed it necessary to conduct the 3rd quarter NSED to a later date.

“This is to ensure maximum participation to the earthquake drill,” Lorenzana, concurrent National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) chair, said in a statement.

The new schedule of the 3rd quarter NSED is yet to be determined, he added.

The NDRRMC conducts Nationwide Earthquake Drills quarterly, as one of the tools to promote disaster preparedness and resilience among communities.