The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has urged local government units (LGUs) to maximize the use of the Operation L!STO Manual on Disaster Preparedness for Earthquakes following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao.
Developed in 2023 by the DILG's Local Government Academy in partnership with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and other stakeholders, the manual provides science-based guidance for LGUs in disaster preparedness, response, recovery and rehabilitation. It outlines responsibilities for local chief executives, Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices and barangays across four phases: Early Preparedness, Pre-Hazard Preparedness, Minimum Critical Preparedness, and Early Recovery and Rehabilitation.
The DILG said the manual encourages LGUs to conduct risk assessments, develop hazard maps, strengthen evacuation and warning systems, enforce infrastructure safety standards and prepare post-disaster recovery plans. The department emphasized that institutionalizing these measures will help communities respond faster, recover sooner and build greater resilience against future earthquakes.