All Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials and personnel at the DPWH Head Office in Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila, successfully participated in the Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill on Thursday, July 23, in preparation for the anticipated earthquake tagged as The next ‘Big One’ along Metro Manila’s West Valley Fault. Simultaneously, employees in DPWH Regional Offices IV-A, IV-B, and NCR, including the DPWH District Offices in NCR also partook in the said earthquake drill within their respective premises.
The earthquake drill was conducted by the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) through the Office of Civil Defense (OCD). In coordination with PHIVOLCS, an evaluation was conducted to assess the effectivity and gaps of the undertaking, and the capability and preparedness of DPWH in the event of a major earthquake.