MANILA, Philippines–The Manila City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said the city needs to buy more lifesaving equipment and tools to ensure that rescuers would be able to function and save more lives during calamities.
During the city’s first citywide multidisaster drill main program on Roxas Boulevard on Tuesday, the Manila government showcased its rescue tools and equipment such as rescue vans, fire trucks and hazardous materials (hazmat) suits.
Rescuers, primarily from the Manila Bureau of Fire Protection, demonstrated their lifesaving skills for specific disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis and even in the event of a chemical spill.
But Johnny Yu, head of the CDRRMO, said that despite this, Manila’s stockpile of rescue tools and equipment was inadequate.
“If we’re talking about training, we are 100-percent sure that responders are well trained. From first aid to hazmat training, they all have it under their belt,” he told the Inquirer.
Yu said that his office had the tools to stage rescues for typhoons, earthquakes and tsunamis.
“But in terms of quantity, we need more. We have 3.5 million residents in six districts and, right now, the equipment we have can be used only for training. For example, we have a rescue van but there is just one,” he added.
For this year, financial documents from the Manila City government showed that it was allocating P176 million for the purchase of rescue equipment.