QUAKE RESILIENCE. Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum Jr. urges on Thursday (Feb. 11, 2021) businesses in the country to be prepared for disaster by building quake-resilient infrastructures. He said buildings should withstand at least an Intensity VIII of an earthquake. (Photo taken during the webinar presentation on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021)
MANILA – Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Renato Solidum Jr. on Thursday urged businesses to be disaster-resilient and be better prepared for a destructive earthquake.
In a webinar organized by the Bank of the Philippine Island (BPI), Solidum said building owners should at least have the buildings built to withstand ground shaking and Intensity VIII of an earthquake.
"The country is highly exposed to natural hazards and climate change. We need to address their potential impacts by achieving resilience through reducing the risks or impacts," he said.
He said businesses must prepare to respond effectively and efficiently.
"The key here is to be able to understand the hazards and the risks. There are tools that Phivolcs has developed," he said, citing the GeoRiskPhilippines Initiative project of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The project is a geographic information system (GIS) that integrates hazard maps, exposure data, and have these accessed by the public and government agencies.
Visualize assessments are in the form of charts, graphs, and maps to better help the public understand and prepare for natural hazards.
Roland Gerard Veloso Jr., BPI Corporate Credit Products Group head, said identifying and anticipating risks at an early stage are important to businesses.
This could help them measure and assess potential impacts to their businesses, he said.
Those who are planning to buy a house or condominium unit could check Phivolcs' HazardHunter app or website, to see if the location they are eyeing is near or above the faults, he said.
HazardHunter helps people know if their location is at risk for volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other hazards.
"Protect your investment," Veloso said.
Veloso added that BPI, for instance, requires those who seek financing that their businesses are not within 10 meters of a fault line.
Solidum, meanwhile, said disaster preparedness and resilience is not just a government approach, but the whole of society.
"If you are putting up a building, don't put it on top of a fault line. Know the hazards and risks. What hazards will affect the area, property or business? What is the severity of the impact?" he said. (PNA)
In a webinar organized by the Bank of the Philippine Island (BPI), Solidum said building owners should at least have the buildings built to withstand ground shaking and Intensity VIII of an earthquake.
"The country is highly exposed to natural hazards and climate change. We need to address their potential impacts by achieving resilience through reducing the risks or impacts," he said.
He said businesses must prepare to respond effectively and efficiently.
"The key here is to be able to understand the hazards and the risks. There are tools that Phivolcs has developed," he said, citing the GeoRiskPhilippines Initiative project of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The project is a geographic information system (GIS) that integrates hazard maps, exposure data, and have these accessed by the public and government agencies.
Visualize assessments are in the form of charts, graphs, and maps to better help the public understand and prepare for natural hazards.
Roland Gerard Veloso Jr., BPI Corporate Credit Products Group head, said identifying and anticipating risks at an early stage are important to businesses.
This could help them measure and assess potential impacts to their businesses, he said.
Those who are planning to buy a house or condominium unit could check Phivolcs' HazardHunter app or website, to see if the location they are eyeing is near or above the faults, he said.
HazardHunter helps people know if their location is at risk for volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and other hazards.
"Protect your investment," Veloso said.
Veloso added that BPI, for instance, requires those who seek financing that their businesses are not within 10 meters of a fault line.
Solidum, meanwhile, said disaster preparedness and resilience is not just a government approach, but the whole of society.
"If you are putting up a building, don't put it on top of a fault line. Know the hazards and risks. What hazards will affect the area, property or business? What is the severity of the impact?" he said. (PNA)
