Should “The Big One” hit the Philippines this year, nearly 47,000 people are expected to become casualties.
Alexander Pama, former executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and former Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator, said this during a plenary session of the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) in Pasay City on Wednesday, Oct. 16.
“Now, we have a population of about 14,677,000. If we extrapolate it very, very simply, we're talking about a casualty, just in terms of casualty of 46,993,” he said, about the possible effect of the “Big One.”
“The Big One” refers to the anticipated massive earthquake that could be triggered by the movement of the West Valley Fault, a major fault line that runs through the eastern part of Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
According to experts, this earthquake could reach a magnitude of 7.2 or higher, potentially causing widespread destruction, especially in highly populated areas.
Pama, the global board member of ARISE Philippines, said that over 150,000 are expected to be injured due to the occurrence of the strong earthquake in the country.
To reduce the risks, the government should craft multi-stakeholder frameworks, he said.
“In so far as how we're going to address this risk. And equally important in the identification of priorities of the actions that need to be taken. Private sector plays a very important role in that,” said Pama.
The former NDRRMC official stated that the country's informal settlements are concerning when “The Big One" hits them.
“What is worrisome are those informal settlements. These are the areas wherein no supervision, not much supervision is undertaken,” he said.
“Can you imagine a 20-square-meter lot having five stories? And the stories are being added every year so the foundation and everything is not that good,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pama noted that the private sector is eager to contribute not only through corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives but also by collaborating more broadly with other sectors of society.
He emphasized the significant ongoing efforts between the government and the private sector to work together on these issues.
For years, authorities have been preparing for the possibility of “The Big One” through earthquake drills, disaster preparedness programs, and strengthening infrastructure.