PHIVOLCS to hold first Metro Manila Tsunami Run for Safety on 24 October

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) held a press conference on Tuesday to discuss tsunami awareness and preparations for Metro Manila's first Tsunami Run for Safety and the observance of World Tsunami Awareness Day.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) announced that the advocacy run will be held on 24 October at the North Fountain of SM by the Bay, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City.

“Through the Tsunami Run for Safety, we want to bring this message closer to the public and remind everyone, especially those in coastal areas, of the importance of knowing the natural warning signs of a tsunami and what to do when they occur,” PHIVOLCS Director Teresito Bacolcol said in a statement.

PHIVOLCS, together with partner government agencies and private sector representatives, will also participate in the observance of World Tsunami Awareness Day on 5 November, an initiative led by the United Nations.

“This is to promote awareness and preparedness for tsunamis,” PHIVOLCS Deputy Director Ma. Mylene Villegas said during the press conference.

“Since 2015, we have been participating in this activity together with other countries around the world to show our support and commemorate the continued awareness of tsunami preparedness,” she added.

Tsunami history in the Philippines

PHIVOLCS reported that 66 of the Philippines' 82 provinces have coastal communities vulnerable to tsunamis, as the country is surrounded by trenches, including the Philippine Trench and Cotabato Trench.

“And of course, Metro Manila is included because of the possibility of an earthquake that could generate a tsunami if it originates from the Manila Trench,” Villegas said.

In the National Capital Region, the cities of Caloocan, Las Piñas, Manila, Makati, Malabon, Navotas, Pasay, Parañaque, and Valenzuela are among those at risk of tsunami impacts.

Villegas noted that the Philippines has experienced numerous large-magnitude earthquakes that generated tsunamis, with PHIVOLCS recording 41 confirmed tsunami events.

The institute also held a commemorative observance in Cotabato City on 26 August to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1976 Moro Gulf earthquake and tsunami.

The disaster was triggered by movement along the Cotabato Trench, generating a magnitude 8.1 earthquake in the Moro Gulf and a tsunami that reached nine meters in height. The tsunami affected coastal communities and resulted in approximately 8,000 casualties.

Government efforts to improve preparedness

Villegas said PHIVOLCS, the national agency mandated to monitor earthquakes and issue tsunami warnings, has established the Philippine Seismic Network and a tsunami warning information and dissemination system. The system includes alerting modules to facilitate the release of information about tsunamis and their possible occurrence following earthquakes.

PHIVOLCS is also preparing to roll out a National Tsunami Action Plan next year, with plans to improve the use of science, technology, and innovation in tsunami risk reduction.

These efforts include modeling tsunami hazard zones, identifying evacuation centers, and developing cost-effective alarm systems for coastal communities.

“We continue to conduct activities and maintain partnerships with local government units to continue building the capacity of our coastal communities and achieve our goal of having communities that are prepared for tsunamis,” Villegas said.