ZAMBOANGA Sibugay Governor Wilter Palma has advised the municipal mayor to conduct disaster drills as they are vulnerable to natural calamities.
Palma said there is a need to train the residents, especially those in the island and coastal towns, on disaster preparedness to impart them the knowledge what they would do in time of calamities.
The province of Zamboanga Sibugay consists of 16 towns that include three islands and 13 coastal towns.
The three towns located in one island are the municipalities of Mabuhay, Olutanga, and Talusan, which have a total population of 100,510 based on the 2010 census.
The island is located near the Sulu trench, which the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology considers as one the of the earthquake generators in the region.
The last time Sulu trench moved was on August 17, 1976 that generated an earthquake with magnitude 7.9. The quake triggered a tsunami that devastated more that 700 kilometers of coastline bordering Moro Gulf in the North Celebes Sea.
“The earthquake can cause tsunami… this movement will be repeated in the future, and we should always be prepared anytime,” Palma said.
“We do not know when, only God knows when and where it (the destructive earthquake) will happen,” Palma added.
He ordered the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to request the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to hold disaster drills in this province.
He said the destruction of the lives and properties could be minimized if the communities are well-prepared and equipped.
