THE ATENEO participated in the Metro Manila Shake Drill conducted on July 30 from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM through the observance of emergency practices and evacuation procedures.

In a memorandum addressed to the university community on July 27, University President Jose Ramon Villarin, SJ said that the Ateneo’s participation “is aligned with our efforts to increase our resilience to disasters.”

The Metro Manila Shake Drill was a metropolitan-wide earthquake drill conducted to promote a culture of preparedness among Metro Manila residents in the event of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake due to the rupture of the West Valley Fault (WVF).

The WVF is a 100-kilometer fault line that extends from Dinaglan, Aurora and runs through several cities in Metro Manila including Quezon, Marikina, and Taguig.

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) oversaw the conduct of the drill throughout the capital.

The MMDA is the government body under the Office of the President that supervises governance and urban development in the National Capital Region.

Earthquake drill

The University Emergency Management Team (UEMT) led by Villarin oversaw the proceedings of the drill throughout the Ateneo.

The UEMT is divided into Local Emergency Response Teams (LUERTs) for the Grade School, High School, and Loyola Schools (LS). The LUERTs are further subdivided into Building Emergency Assistance Teams (BEAT).

Once the earthquake alert was sounded metro-wide at 10:30 AM, BEAT personnel instructed individuals in the campus to “duck, cover, and hold.”

Immediately after, BEAT personnel directed individuals to move to primary evacuation points.

The primary evacuation points for the LS were the Baseball Field, Bellarmine Field, Science Education Complex (SEC) Field, East Parking Lot, Fine Arts Parking Lot, Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry Parking Lot, Tennis Court, and the open spaces fronting Dela Costa Hall, Gonzaga Cafeteria, Matteo Ricci Hall, and SEC-A Building, respectively.

Vehicular flow was also halted throughout the drill.

Overlap with OrSem

The Metro Manila Shake Drill overlapped with the second day of the Freshman Orientation Seminar (OrSem), the Ateneo’s annual preparatory course which welcomes freshmen into the university.

In an interview with The GUIDON, Office of Student Activities Director and LS LUERT Central Team member Christopher Castillo said that proper adjustments were made by the OrSem committee after the announcement of the drill.

“Thankfully, the OrSem committees and heads were very cooperative,” Castillo added.

Castillo noted that the OrSem heads strategized by scheduling activities that were “not critical” near the time slot of the earthquake drill.

Freshmen received the overlap of the Metro Manila Shake Drill with their OrSem positively.

Management freshman Manuel Azura believes that the earthquake drill “is necessary, given the context.”

On the other hand, management information systems freshman Justine Tan expressed that participating in the metro-wide drill “is a good thing, as it makes us freshmen fully equipped for what will happen in case it happens.”

Moreover, management freshman Derek Quezon said that the drill is in line with OrSem being a preparatory course.

“As freshmen, before we even go to school, we already know what’s going to happen [in the event of an earthquake],” Quezon added.

Preparing for the “Big One”

In line with the university’s preparations, Villarin noted in the July 27 memorandum that the Metro Manila Shake Drill “is just one of several drills we have planned for the coming school year.”

Castillo added that the possibility of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake or the so-called “Big One” prompted the university to revise its internal response systems.

“We’re fortifying the [response] systems further,” Castillo said.

Castillo said that while the occurrence of the “Big One” is largely unexpected, Ateneo’s efforts for disaster preparation “show some readiness.”

Psychology freshman Mikhaela Haveria believes that Ateneo is “pretty ready” given its efforts toward disaster preparedness.

Moreover, management freshman Alexander Hegenschdeidt believes that “no one can really be ready, but we can always prepare.”