The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) of Bulacan convened an emergency meeting to reinforce the province’s preparedness and disaster response systems.

The Schools Division of Bulacan also announced the suspension of face-to-face classes in public elementary and secondary schools in the province on Oct. 16-17.

The meeting centered on strengthening local action plans, particularly on the evacuation procedures of each city and municipality, and the conduct of structural inspections by City and Municipal Engineers to ensure the stability and safety of buildings and other infrastructures in their respective areas.

Governor Daniel R. Fernando, PDRRMC chair, underscored the importance of proactive disaster management, and urged all local governments to carry out preemptive building inspections, especially on old and public structures, to ensure the safety of Bulakenyos.

"Sunud-sunod ang mga nagaganap na lindol, at dahil hindi ito tulad ng bagyo na kayang ma-detect nang maaga, ang pinakamabisang sandata laban dito ay ang ating kahandaan," (The recent successive earthquakes and the unpredictability as to when they will occur make preparedness as the most effective weapon against it),' the governor said.

He also explained that while there were appeals from parents and students to shift to online learning amid the earthquake threats, such decisions will be made at the national level.

Fernando also instructed the PDRRMO to strengthen advisory systems and community coordination efforts to ensure timely information dissemination and effective disaster response across the province.

The council also agreed to intensify public awareness initiatives by conducting orientations on proper earthquake preparedness and response measures to be headed by the City and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Officers.

The Provincial Government of Bulacan will implement measures to enhance local readiness and coordination systems such as the conduct of orientations in schools and establishments to update response procedures, evacuation to open spaces instead of the traditional “duck, cover, and hold” method, given the increasing intensity of the recent tremors.

Due to the conduct of simultaneous school building inspection in all public elementary and secondary within the division, the Schools Division of Bulacan announced the suspension of face-to-face classes from Oct. 16-17.

During this period, schools shall implement Alternative Delivery Modalities (ADM), either synchronous or asynchronous, to ensure the continuity of learning.

The suspension is only for all public elementary and secondary schools under SDO Bulacan.