DepEd: All schools will join metro-wide quake drill

THE Department of Education (DepEd) on Tuesday said that all public and private schools would participate in the hour-long metrowide earthquake drill that will be led by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on July 30.

At a press briefing, DepEd Secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC said that the education department is “very supportive” of the initiative.

“We are very supportive of the metrowide drill only because all of our drills thus far, are confined to campuses. The problem with only focusing on our own compound is that it is too parochial,” Luistro said.

He said that the benefit of having a metrowide drill is that people can prepare of the scenarios which might occur in the event of a major quake, such as the shutdown of power and water services.

The metrowide earthquake drill will be conducted from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., instead of the planned 3 to 8 p.m. schedule.

MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino was quoted in an earlier Inquirer report saying that the drill will “increase the Metro’s chances of better recovery and implementation of contingencies in the event of earthquakes.”

Power and communication services would not be cut off during the duration of the drill, as decided in a meeting with Metro Manila mayors and the MMDA.

Aside from schools, businesses, private, government, and religious groups are expected to join the metro-wide earthquake drill. AC