“2ND QUARTER NSED BOOSTS NOLCOM’S PROACTIVE APPROACH IN EARTHQUAKE PREPAREDNESS”

Camp Aquino, Tarlac City – (June 08, 2023) Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) actively participated in the 2nd Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) on Thursday, June 08, 2023, at Camp Aquino in San Miguel, Tarlac City.

The soldiers and civilian human resource personnel of the command diligently executed the “duck, cover, and hold” technique, which aims to safeguard their heads, necks, and vital organs from potentially falling objects. Additionally, NOLCOM’s earthquake command and control center and quick response team were activated as part of the drill, geared towards facilitating safe evacuation and accounting of personnel.

Taking on the role of first responders during the drill simulation were the students currently undergoing a five-day Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response Operations Training facilitated by Tarlac Provincial Disaster Reduction and Risk Management Office. This hands-on experience served as an integral component of their training curriculum.

It can be recalled that NOLCOM’s area of operations, encompassing northern and central Luzon, was struck by consecutive earthquake disasters last year, significantly impacting the residents of Abra and Ilocos Norte. In those trying times, the troops of NOLCOM demonstrated their mettle by promptly acting as first responders, actively engaging in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response Operations.

Commander of Northern Luzon Command, LTGEN. FERNYL G BUCA PAF emphasized the crucial role played by the drill in enhancing the troops’ disaster response capabilities. “Through these earthquake drills, our soldiers can bolster their effectiveness, efficiency, readiness, and response time when providing timely assistance to affected populations during such calamities. More so as we continue our pursuit to becoming a Jointly Engaged Sustainment-Maintained and *Readiness-Trained* (SMART) Force, protectors of the Filipino people” underscored LTGEN BUCA.

The NSED is a quarterly event organized by the National Risk Reduction Management Council, in collaboration with various government agencies and private institutions. Its primary objective is to reinforce earthquake preparedness, response, and the efficiency of command and control mechanisms in emergency and disaster response operations. ### (PR)