Disaster mitigating agencies are holding the scheduled quarterly earthquake drill in Mintal, now an emerging commercial hub, after the discovery of the Dacudao fault line.
The drill, to be held on February 21, is aimed at preparing the people of the place as well as the rest of the region on what to do when something worse takes place.
Not to be alarmist, but a strong earthquake is expected to cause panic and pandemonium and the only way to mitigate the impact is to ensure that people are prepared for it. This may not be an assurance that nothing will happen, but as they always say, it is better be prepared than sorry.
The key here is always the participation of the people. Sometimes, however, some people are apathetic for some reason, but it is better to remind them that preparedness always spells a difference.
Another factor that will affect the success of the activity is the participation of the business establishments in the area, they be the regular businesses or the schools.
Aside from hosting a government relocation site and campuses of two state universities, Mintal, being so near to the downtown area and having a vast size of land that can be developed, has also attracted real estate developers, mall operators and even private schools.
These establishments must accept the fact that they are the places of convergence and that their readiness in mitigating disasters is something that is a must. Otherwise, it would be better to close their operations.
