PRESS RELEASE

17 September 2007

PHIVOLCS-DOST to Conduct Tsunami READY Campaigns in the Visayan Communities

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) – Department of Science and Technology (DOST) focuses on Boholanos to help them become resilient to tsunami thru the conduct of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities. Residents of Barangay Canmanico in Valencia, Bohol will have a short lecture session about tsunami and Community-Based Early Warning System (CBEWS) on 17 September 2007 before their tsunami drill on 18 September. Meanwhile, residents of Barangay San Pedro in Duero will be given parallel set of lectures on 18 September. They will evacuate to designated evacuation areas during the tsunami mock drill on 19 September. Eight pieces of tsunami warning and directional signage were installed in each barangay last 20-30 September 2007.

A similar type of IEC activities will be conducted in the Province of Leyte a week after. The seminar for the residents of Barangay San Roque in Tolosa will be held on 25 September, while lectures for the teachers will be in the afternoon. Tsunami drill for the residents is set for the following day. Barangay officials of Abuyog, Leyte will be briefed about tsunami and CBEWS during a seminar on 27 September. As culminating activity, there will be a tsunami lecture and drill for the residents of Barangay Bulak, Abuyog. Similarly, eight pieces of tsunami warning and directional signage were installed in each barangay weeks prior to the activity.

This CBEWS for tsunami is implemented under the Hazards Mapping and Assessment for Effective Community-Based Disaster Risk Management (READY) Project, funded by the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

/cqvillanueva

/edited mlmv18sep07