Earthquake Preparedness Forum in Baclaran Church to Ensure Safety of Devotees

The Redemptorists of Baclaran and Assistance and Cooperation for Community Resilience and Development (ACCORD) will hold “Talakayan: Valley Fault System,” an earthquake preparedness forum tomorrow (Friday), June 26, at the National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Baclaran. Ms. Joan Salcedo of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) will serve as main resource person. The forum aims to equip participants with basic knowledge on earthquakes as well as preparedness and safety measures they can undertake.

One of the most popular Marian shrines in the Philippines, the present Baclaran church has been standing since 1958. It is also just around 6.5 km away from the nearest point in the West Valley Fault and will possibly experience an Intensity VIII earthquake (very destructive). Given the Church’s proximity to Manila Bay, the possibility of tsunami coming from the Manila Trench should not be discounted.

Devotees also flock by the thousands to the church, especially on Wednesdays or more popularly known as "Baclaran Day". During peak hours, there are as much as 120,000 people in the church and its immediate vicinity. Given all these, earthquake safety and preparedness is a concern for the Baclaran church.

Marieta Lupig Alcid, executive director of ACCORD, explains, "The Redemptorists saw what happened in Bohol, where centuries-old churches collapsed during the 2013 earthquake. It was lucky that the earthquake hit when there were no masses, minimizing casualties. That is not the case for Baclaran church, which never closes. So when the Redemptorists requested our help to prepare for the 'Big One' in Metro Manila, we gladly accepted."

Almost 100 people are expected to attend the forum, composed mainly of priests, nuns, seminarians, and other church staff. Salcedo will introduce the basics of why earthquakes happen, why Metro Manila is prone to earthquakes and tsunami. She will also discuss the worst case scenario that people need to prepare for. The forum will also provide a venue to identify initial steps forward and preparedness measures for the Baclaran church.

The target is to prepare the Redemptorists, and by extension church-goers, for the Metrowide Earthquake Drill scheduled by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for July 30. "At the very least, the attendees will not panic, know the basics of what to do during earthquakes, and understand the importance of drills," says Alcid.

The forum will actually be held one day before the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help on June 27. Alcid recalls, "I was actually telling one of the priests, 'Sakto tayo Brother. Sa piyesta may handa, sa disaster may paghahanda.'"

The forum is just the initial step in the disaster risk reduction program for Baclaran. Moving on, PHIVOLCS will help assess the vulnerability of the church and its immediate surroundings to earthquakes. ACCORD will support the Redemptorists in developing a full-fledged contingency plan, undergoing a participatory process similar to what its partner barangays and municipalities underwent. The eventual goal is to conduct an earthquake drill in October, in time for the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction. The drill would identify areas for improvement in the contingency plan and test the readiness of participants.

Alcid is grateful for the opportunity for ACCORD and the Redemptorists. "Our organizations have previously worked together in the aftermath of typhoons such as Reming, Ondoy, and Pablo. We believe that this is the next step to developing our partnership – lending our technical assistance to ensure the safety of clergy and laymen in Baclaran while the church disseminates safety information to devotees and their partner communities. It's a win-win for disaster risk reduction.”