EMONG'S JOURNALS

After an earthquake, don’t just rush in the house or building! Remain alert for aftershocks! Immediately survey the home or building for structural or physical damages. If there are signs of damage , have a licensed city engineer investigate for its safety or structural integrity. After inspecting the home, check water pipes and electricity lines for leaks or dangling wires. If there are broken pipes, do not flush the toilet or open faucets. If there are dangling electrical wires, don’t turn on the light switches and electrical appliances. If you suspect a gas leak , switch off the LPG tank immediately then open all the windows for circulation. Don’t switch on the stove, lights and appliances to avoid a spark until the smell is completely gone. When it is determined that it is safe to enter the property , immediately clean debris like broken glass to prevent any secondary injuries. If one resides near a beach , be alert for tsunami warning...

IF you're an avid mall-goer, please take note that most malls in Metro Manila will join the metro-wide earthquake drill on Thursday, July 30. The quake drill is scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and is led by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), in partnership with Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (DOT-PHIVOLCS). Below is a list of malls which will participate in the "shake drill": 1. AYALA MALLS Fairview Terraces Greenbelt Complex TriNoma, and  UP Town Center 2. SM MALLS All Metro Manila branches 3. ROBINSONS MALLS All Metro Manila branches 4. ARANETA CENTER 5. SHANGRI-LA PLAZA MALL 6. GREENHILLS SHOPPING CENTER 7. POWER PLANT in ROCKWELL For a complete list of other participating establishments, click HERE . The activity is the first metro-wide simultaneous earthquake drill to help prepare the residents of Metro Manila in the event of a strong earthquake due to t...

THE government has stepped up the effort to raise awareness to prepare for the Big One, or the East and West Valley Fault earthquake, by literally marking the ground where it traverses. Led by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) officials, roads in Taguig City were painted with markers with the use of white reflectorized thermoplastic paint, which is also being used in Metro Manila’s pedestrian lanes. MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino said that these markers will let the public know where the fault actually lies and that these "may serve as a daily reminder to the residents that they are residing near or along the fault and at the same time heighten their awareness to prepare for the unexpected.” Tolentino added that they intend to paint the markers, which can last up to five years, over the whole 100-km WVF from San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan up to Cavite and Laguna. The Phivolcs has w...

THE East and West Valley Fault earthquake is predicted to hit the metro within the next 43 years. It might be earlier or later than anticipated, but it's still best to keep your survival stuff ready if and when it does strike. When deciding on what to pack in your GO BAG SURVIVAL KIT, you need to decide what you need the most in order to keep you alive for the next few days. Your needs may be different than ours so please note that you are free to make upgrades (or downgrades) on the GO BAG essentials listed below. GO BAG ESSENTIALS - The Top 12 survival checklist: 1. Bag. Use a bag that is at least water repellant, if not waterproof.  If it isn’t waterproof, pack your items in waterproof bags.  A key lesson of life in nature is to keep things waterproofed. 2. Light. A rechargeable flashlight, a small LED type lamps or a headlamp, depending on what you need. You can also have a red lens cover or red option for a flashlight so you can use it at night and not giv...

THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Monday released the Valley Fault System (VFS) Atlas, a handbook of large-scale maps showing in detail areas traversed by the Valley Fault System, otherwise known as the East and West Valley Quake Faults. News headlines, radio and television announcements are already in place to let the people living in the VFS make the necessary precautions if and when this great earthquake should occur. Houses should be at least five meters away from the fault lines and should be able to withstand a strong earthquake, the agency added. But what really is the VFS? 1. The VFS is an active fault system in the Greater Metro Manila Area composed of two fault segments: the East Valley Fault (EVF) and the West Valley Fault (WVF). 2. The EVF, which covers several barangays in Rodriguez and San Mateo, Rizal, measures ten kilometers long while the WVF, which runs within Bulacan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite and Laguna has a lengt...