The Office of Civil Defense (COD) stressed recently that better preparation and resiliency can be the best solution to save lives from devastating earthquakes that may hit the country.

OCD administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said that there is an immediate need to strengthen engineering solutions and building code compliance in preparation for earthquakes, especially for the “Big One.”

“Engineering solutions and compliance with the building code are the best preparedness measures for earthquakes,” Nepomuceno said. “We really need to improve our efforts for these alongside other measures.”

“We need to ensure that buildings and facilities are strong enough to withstand strong earthquakes,” he added.

The OCD official also urged the public — particularly those who are living in Manila, Caloocan, Las Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay, Pasig, Quezon City, San Juan, Taguig, Valenzuela and Pateros, to intensify their preparations by checking the buildings and their infrastructures.

He added there are thousands of structures such as buildings and houses are established in Metro Manila, and these could be affected if the “Big One” comes.

“Again, let us be reminded of the casualty projection for the magnitude 7.2 earthquake generated by the West Valley Fault. At least 30,000 to 48,000 individuals might die in the Greater Metro Manila Area,” Nepomuceno said.

He stressed that the recommendation to strengthening the engineering solution and building compliance in preparation for potential disasters is not only for Metro Manila but also for the rest of the cities all over the archipelago from Luzon, Visayas to Mindanao.

“This is a very clear indication that there are a lot of things that we must do to advance our preparedness for earthquakes,” Nepomuceno said. “Structures within no build zone and land slide prone areas must not be also allowed.”