Young PWDs taught to cope with disasters

The SM Group will again host an emergency preparedness forum for young persons with disabilities (PWDs) together with their parents, guardians and teachers, to make them more resilient and better prepared in times of disasters, particularly in Metro Manila.

The forum, sponsored by SM Cares, will be held at 1 p.m. on July 9  at Hall 3 of the SMX Convention Center Manila.

During disasters, one of the most disadvantaged are children with disabilities due to their limitation in mobility and cognitive awareness.

Disaster experts  Renato Solidum Jr., director of Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), and Ted Esguerra, Operational Medicine instructor at the International Disaster Response Network, will tackle the possibility of a big earthquake in Metro Manila, and nearby provinces, and survival tips during and after an earthquake.

‘Unannounced’ drill

The forum will be held in partnership with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), Phivolcs, and the United Nations Children’s Fund.

As this developed, the MMDA will soon conduct an “unannounced” three-day shake drill metrowide in preparation for “The Big One.”

MMDA general manager Jojo Garcia said the drill would test and sustain the people’s disaster awareness especially after three years of planned, announced drills.

The drill would also test whether local government units and private organizations, particularly telcos, already have solid contingency plans in place during unexpected disasters, said shake drill secretariat Michael Salalima.—WITH A REPORT BY KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING