OCD leads inspection of areas along fault lines 

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) led the inspection of areas situated along fault lines in Quezon City and Pasig as part of earthquake preparedness efforts, according to a report by Philippine News Agency.

OCD administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, Pasig Mayor Victor Ma. Regis Sotto, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) acting chairman Romando Artes, and representatives of OCD-National Capital Region (NCR); Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology; the departments of science and technology, interior, and social welfare; and local disaster risk reduction and management offices led the activity dubbed as "Walk the Fault" on Tuesday.

"The participants visited the Batasan-San Mateo Road in Quezon City, Canley Road in Pasig City and subdivisions affected situated in the two cities. They checked if the markers of the fault are present and visible, and if there are still properties or infrastructure directly affected by the fault," the OCD said in a statement Tuesday night.

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It said the “Walk the Fault” is part of the finalization of the Oplan Metro Yakal Plus, the contingency plan of Metro Manila and preparations for “The Big One" or the worst-case scenario in case a magnitude 7.2 earthquake occurs from the West Valley Fault.

The West Valley Fault is one of two major fault segments of the Valley Fault System, which runs through Quezon City and the cities of Marikina, Pasig, Makati, Taguig, and Muntinlupa in the NCR.

The OCD earlier announced that the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) for the first quarter of this year is scheduled on March 9.

The conduct of quarterly nationwide earthquake drills is one of the government's efforts to promote disaster preparedness and resilience among communities.

In the early hours of Feb. 16, a magnitude 6 quake jolted the province of Masbate.

As of Feb. 17, OCD 5 (Bicol) said 61 houses, 15 schools, and six buildings were damaged by the tremor.