An estimated seven million people from various sectors in the National Capital Region are expected to join the 2nd metro-wide earthquake drill on Wednesday as part of the government’s preparation in the event a major disaster occurs.
Blaring of sirens on radio and television networks, fire alarms and ringing school and church bells will mark the simultaneous drill at exactly 9 a.m.
“We are making sure that no stone is left unturned to guarantee that the 2nd ShakeDrill will be equally successful and that all the challenges and problems encountered last year are now properly addressed,” said lawyer Emerson Carlos, chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority.
The city government of Makati announced it will implement road closures and traffic rerouting on major streets in the city during the event.
Elmer Cabrera, officer-in-charge of the Makati Public Safety Department, said from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon, the Manila-bound lane of J.P. Rizal from Zobel Street to Antipolo Street will be closed while the leftmost lane of the same segment will remain open to one-way traffic bound for Manila.
The following roads will be totally closed: Cardona Street from J.P. Rizal to Osmeña; Angono Street from J.P. Rizal to Osmeña; Hormiga Street from Angono to Cardona; Morong Street; Zobel Street from J.P. Rizal to Osmeña; Zenaida Street; Ma. Aurora Street, and Buencamino Street.
All vehicles from Manila going to Epifanio de los Santos Avenue are advised to take Antipolo Street and turn right to Osmeña Street and take Zobel Street.
Cabrera said the staging area for ambulances and fire trucks are in Angono Street and Zobel Street while the command and medical posts and triage will be stationed also in Angono Street. The rest of the fully closed roads will serve as the holding areas of evacuees from the different offices and buildings in the city hall compound.
During rescue scenarios on the collapsed Guadalupe Bridge and Guadalupe MRT Station, the northbound bus lanes (yellow lanes) on Edsa spanning Guadalupe Bridge will be closed to traffic from 6 a.m. to 12 noon. For the rest of the northbound lanes and southbound lanes in Guadalupe Bridge, traffic will stop at the sound of the siren (signal for an earthquake) at 9 a.m.
At 9:03 a.m., the southbound traffic will proceed, while the northbound traffic will proceed to the areas outside the bus lanes.
The northbound East Cloverleaf will also be closed to traffic from 6 a.m. to 12 noon while the southbound segment will remain open. The closed road will serve as the preposition area for Makati’s ambulances and rubber boat of rescuers, and vehicles from MMDA and other local governments.
Motorists are advised to take alternate routes during the drills: all vehicles along J.P. Rizal eastbound toward Edsa may take San Jose Street, turn right to Burgos Street and turn to Edsa. They may also turn right at Lawton Avenue, right at Kalayaan Street and right turn to Edsa toward destination.
Those coming from J.P. Rizal are advised to take Edsa, make a left turn to Lawton Avenue, and right turn to Kalayaan Avenue toward destination.
All Public Utility Jeeps from FTI and Market-Market may take Kalayaan Avenue towards destination.
The city government will deploy traffic personnel to assist the public and motorists along affected routes.
The MMDA said participants are enjoined to perform the “duck, cover and hold” drill. Mayors of the 16 cities and one municipality comprising Metro Manila are expected to attend, the MMDA said.
The earthquake drill will also be held simultaneously in the provinces Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna.
Based on the map released by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the West Valley Fault also transects portions of the four provinces.
