The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said Dabawenyos were generally alert during the Tsunami Warning on Wednesday due to the feedback and action of communities and agencies.
Lyndon Leovic Ancajas, acting LECRD – Central 911 Division head, said during the I-Speak Media Forum on Thursday that Dabawenyos did not panic after the receipt of the tsunami information.
“Makita nato with the actual event gahapon na once we triggered the actual information nga naa’y tsunami, majority of the barangays nangadto na sa ilang constituents nag inform na og possible pre-emptive evacuation because of tsunami nga padulong and most agencies have also contacted us na ready sila, ang mga hospitals nag contact and naghulat for our command, and the Department of Education schools nagshift dayon og advisory for blended learning for the schools nga naa sa coastal area (We saw during the actual event yesterday that once we triggered the information that there was a tsunami, the majority of the barangays immediately went to their constituents to inform them about a possible pre-emptive evacuation due to the incoming tsunami. Most agencies also contacted us to say they were ready. Hospitals reached out and waited for our command, and the Department of Education schools immediately issued an advisory for blended learning),” he said.
He attributed the fast action to the template the city has repeatedly introduced to people during calamities and had continuously been tested during simulation events.
“That is the template, the muscle na atong nabuhat or na gain sa atong sunod sunod nga tsunami simulation exercise nato (That is the template, the muscle memory, which we made or gained after the series of tsunami simulation exercises we had conducted),” he said.
Ancajas said he received feedback from Dabawenyos that they were able to act confidently and accordingly given the ‘practice’ they had during the drills and simulation.
He said on July 25, 2025, the 5th City-Wide Full-Scale Earthquake and Tsunami “Shake Out” Simulation Exercise drew in 30,000 participants from schools, barangays and establishments. The data may still increase as they are still receiving proof of participation of the event in their email.
“We see the eagerness and willingness of the Dabawenyos to join our shakeout drills and simulation exercise this. It is a good news for us as it means that the people are well informed and aware that it is an important activity,” he said, adding that he can also give a score of eight over ten to the various city government offices and agencies for the prompt establishment of incident posts and evacuation sites in the north and south side of the city.
Ancajas said that thanks to the city’s tsunami drills, the coastal barangays were ready.
“Ready ang atong coastal communities. Pasalamat ta sa Ginoo layo gyud sa atoa so wala na experience gyud na serious impact because of the incident ang Philippines, naprotektahan ta sa kalayo. (Our coastal communities were ready. We thank God that it was far from us, so we didn’t experience any serious impact. Because of the distance, we from the Philippines were protected from the incident),” he said.
Ancajas also said that they continue to learn from the drills and simulation exercises to improve the city’s response to calamities. CIO