In a bid to raise awareness on a destructive earthquake that may possibly hit the metropolis, the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has started marking land areas transected by the 100-kilometer West Valley Fault with “thermoplastic paint.”
MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino on Friday said the thermoplastic pavement marker would last up to five years, as it is processed using a “sensitive machine.”
Tolentino said MMDA is cooperating with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), which produced detailed maps tracing the active earthquake fault line.
“Hindi basta-basta marking lang eh, kailangan eksakto—‘yung eksaktong fault line ‘yung paglalatagan, hindi po ‘yung tyambahan lang,” he said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM. “Kaya may kasama kaming seismologist ng Phivolcs at may compass siya kung saan talaga ‘yung eksaktong lugar.”
(It’s not just a marking effort, it has to be exact–on the exact fault line, not just guesswork. That’s why we have a seismologist who helps us find the exact spot with his compass.)
As to houses and other buildings that are directly above the fault line system, Tolentino said the marker would be placed near the structure.
“Halimbawa po nasa gate [‘yung marker], understood na po ‘yan na tatamaan kayo,” he said.
READ: Do you live in quake zone? New Phivolcs maps trace 100-km West Valley Fault | DepEd: 140 public schools in villages transected by West Valley Fault
MMDA personnel apply thermoplastic paint Friday on a road in Taguig City which is transected by the West Vallet Faut. Photo by Ruel Perez of Inquirer Radyo.
Tolentino, however, said they have been encountering some difficulties in applying the paint, which started in Taguig: “’Di pa namin po perfect kanina kasi first time eh… medyo nagdidikit-dikit ‘yung marking, baka mamaya ma-perfect na ‘yan.”
The MMDA chairman also reiterated his call to the public to participate in the metro-wide earthquake drill on July 30 at 10:30 a.m.
He stressed that the public should take the drill seriously, just like what many companies have signified to do. He said all information pertaining to the fault line system and the earthquake drill can be found at www.bepreparedmetromanila.com.
READ: MMDA urges public to take earthquake warnings seriously | MMDA launches website to ready Metro residents for the ‘Big One’
Tolentino added MMDA has already been training 3,000 volunteers for the upcoming drill. He previously said the agency needs 8,000 people to be part of the Metro Manila Manila Rescue Volunteer Core who will undergo a crash course on emergency response.
READ: MMDA needs 8,000 quake responders
The West Valley Fault runs along six cities at the National Capital Region, including portions of the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal. AU