The Port of Cagayan de Oro and Terminal Ports of Balingoan, and Benoni, Camiguin all under the jurisdiction of the Port Management Office of Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro (PMO MO/C) had successfully completed the National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) for CY 2019 with their latest participation to the last quarter drill conducted on 14 November 2019.

More than 200 participants joined the drill including the office employees, field personnel, passengers, and personnel of Oroport Cargohandling Services, Inc., and Shell Northern Mindano Import Facility (NMIF). They performed the “Duck, Cover, Hold” upon hearing the loud siren that signaled the start of the drill. When the siren alarm stopped, the participants quickly evacuated the buildings towards the designated evacuation area for the headcount. Engineering Service Division personnel conducted damage assessment and structural integrity inspection of port facilities.

The drill ran for only ten (10) minutes, compared to last quarter’s thirteen (13) minutes.

The Emergency Response Team who convened for the post evaluation noted the following: the communication reporting system was already in-placed even when using only handheld radios including the Command Center (ComCen); everyone in the buildings had evacuated; and the medical team members had brought their respective medicine kits.

The Port Police Division also injected a short security drill afterwards, pegging on illegal entry of strangers inside the Port Terminal Complex who took advantage of the time when everyone else had evacuated the area, which the Port Police sees to possibly happen in actual scenario.

The said drill is part of the government’s continuing efforts to promote disaster awareness and preparedness among all citizens, and test the readiness and responsiveness of communities and offices to disasters. —IMR Lam