Subic hosts int’l earthquake exercise

By: Franco Regala - Manila Bulletin

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – Three hundred disaster response operators and specialists from 18 countries and 52 organizations convened here for the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) earthquake simulation exercise.

Organized by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the three day exercise aims to encourage teams from participating nations and organizations to share and learn from the experience of the other teams.

“This activity, given the large participation especially from the foreign countries, shall have a positive impact, not only here in Subic, but also in other countries,” said Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Administrator Armand Arreza at the ceremonial opening at the Subic Bay Exhibition and Convention Center.

“Like you, we believe that earthquakes and all natural disasters for that matter, impact inversely on our efforts to improve our communities and the lives of our people and can reverse economic gains we have achieved so far,” said Arreza, as he pointed out that Subic is actually a very appropriate site for the exercise as it experienced the challenge of overcoming the tragedy brought by the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991, one of the worst natural disasters of the 20th century.

He added that the need to mitigate and prepare for disasters becomes even more paramount in Subic now that it is a Freeport. The SBMA has to protect the lives of more than 75,000 workers and residents, as well as the facilities and properties of the more than 900 companies with over $6 billion in committed investments.

“It is more important for the international and local communities to work closely and coordinate to make sure that we are able to bring normally back into the lives of people. I think that is the most paramount response that we can offer,” he said.

Nileema Noble, UN Resident Coordinator in the Philippines, who was surprised at the impressive credentials and number of participants attending the exercise, noted that response preparedness is “imperative to achieve the objective of saving lives and minimizing injuries in times of both slow and sudden onset of disasters.”

“Response preparedness compels us all to plan, rehearse. Disaster preparedness is an activity that we all must continuously invested for the returns in our investment immense benefits for all of us,” she said.