Earthquake Drills: Preparing For The Unexpected At The Most Unexpected Time

This past week a school in Quezon City was the kick-off site for a program which education officials say will now be a continuing activity in schools around the nation: an earthquake preparedness drill.

This is a venture long overdue but never too late: inculcating in our youth the importance of expecting the unexpected to happen at the most unexpected time.

My old mentor, Johnny ‘Midnight’ Joseph drilled those words into me in the very early days of my initiation into broadcast journalism.

The earthquake drill program for schools has been launched impressively with all the logistics and expertise in play.

Now the challenge is for authorities to  spread the gospel and make sure the ‘ningas cogon syndrome’ which has wasted many a good beginning in our society will not happen.

It will be a great disservice to our youth if the program collapses like the 6-storey Ruby Tower earthquake disaster of August 2, 1968.

Two hundred and sixty people died in the collapse of the 6-story Ruby Tower, located near the corner of Teodora Alonso and Doroteo Jose streets in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

The entire building, save for a portion of the first and second floors at its northern end, was destroyed.

Allegations of poor design and construction, as well as the use of low-quality building materials were blamed for the tragedy.

The all-night radio coverage of Johnny Midnight planted the seed for today’s excellent reportage of Philippine broadcast organizations.

Ruby Tower memorial photo credits:

http://dennisvillegas.blogspot.com/2008/10/catholic-mausoleum.html