The University of Baguio engaged in disaster preparedness and risk management by actively participating in the recently concluded National Simulation Earthquake Drill (NSED).
The drill, conducted in coordination with the City Mayor and with assistance from the Baguio Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU), took place on the morning of November 9, 2023. All school levels from elementary to college evacuated from the buildings of the university and filed out into the designated evacuation zones, which included the UB car park and the school grounds of the neighboring Saint Louis School Center. Students and employees alike followed the duck, cover, and hold maneuver as they exited the buildings en masse, filing out into open spaces where, in a real earthquake, they would be exposed to the least amount of danger.
As a country located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, earthquakes are among the list of natural calamities that regularly affect the country. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the Philippines is hit by an estimated 100 to 150 earthquakes every year, with several of them causing devastating infrastructural damage and inflicting serious injuries on those affected.
The university, headed by Vice President for Administration Atty. Rommel P. Ayson, mobilized a task force to ensure that the drill went smoothly and without any serious disruptions. The Risk Management Office (RMO) led by Engr. Julia Flores and the Campus Planning and Development Office (CPDO) led by Engr. Bernard Abaya helped to manage the crowds and move along foot traffic to ensure that the crowd didn’t stall along the roads and walkways.
The Occupational Safety and Health Committee was also at the scene, and the UB Emergency Response Team (UB ERT) helped to keep the evacuation calm and orderly.
Active participation in events like earthquake drills improves emergency preparedness and fosters community resilience, ensuring a coordinated response in the event of a real disaster. It identifies the weaknesses in existing evacuation plans, facilitating collaboration among different agencies to strengthen disaster response.
