Benhur Abalos (Mark Balmores/ MANILA BULLETIN))

A "wake-up call" for the Philippine government.

That's how Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial candidate Benhur Abalos described over the weekend the strong 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand and caused massive casualties.

Abalos, who formerly served as Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman, says there are already existing preparations for the “Big One”, or a similar earthquake that experts say is long overdue to hit the metropolis.

But he said these plans must be updated regularly to save as many people as possible.

Aside from the conduct of regular earthquake drills, Abalos said there is a need to expand the information dissemination on the “to-do” list after a big quake not only for the residents of Metro Manila but also for all the government agencies.

“Mahalaga na alam ng ating mga kababayan ang gagawin at alam na alam at kabisado na ng mga ahensya ng pamahalaan ang gagawin in case mangyari nga itong kinatatakutan nating the 'Big One',” said Abalos.

(It's important for our citizens to know what they must do and for the government agencies to have their plans down pat in case the feared 'Big One' takes place.)

He says that the first response is essential in strong quakes since many lives are at stake during the first hours after the disaster. 

A reported 1,700 people have perished from the earthquake that struck the Philippines' two Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) neighbors.

Abalos is also a former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary.