Philippine Red Cross (PRC) Chairman and CEO, Richard Gordon, and City Mayor and PRC Governor, WIN Gatchalian signed last the weekend a memorandum of agreement with five major hospitals in Valenzuela City to ensure provision of utmost degree of service and emergency response systems in cases of mass casualties and disasters.

The agreement guarantees establishment of PRC Welfare Desks that will provide psychosocial support and restore family links intended to facilitate communications with family members of victims in case a mass casualty, disaster and emergency occur in the city.

Signing the MOA with PRC were Hospital Director, Dr. Rolando B. Tecson for Valenzuela City Emergency Hospital, President and Medical Director, Dr. Ferdinand G. Calalang for Calalang General Hospital, Medical Director, Dr. Serafin David Serapio, for Sanctissimo Rosario General Hospital, Medical Director, Dr. Annie Joyce C. Alagano for K.C. Calderon Hospital, and President and Medical Director, Dr. Vicente O. Santos, Jr. for Fatima University Medical Center.

Also signing as witnesses were PRC – Valenzuela City Chapter Chairman of Board of Directors Elizabeth A. Chongco and PRC Secretary General, Ms. Gwendolyn T. Pang.

With the MOA signed, triage and other emergency response services to victims of mass-casualty incidents (MCIs) and disasters will be ready in no time at the five partner hospitals. 

The agreement is viewed to boost emergency response in Valenzuela City as also stipulated in the agreement is the conduct of trainings and mutual sharing of knowledge on emergency responses.

Chairman Gordon cited during the report of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on the Earthquake Impact Reduction Study for Metropolitan Manila.

Based on the damage estimation, at the worst case scenario, with the potential rupture of West Valley Faults, approximately 170,000 residential houses will collapse, 340,000 residential houses will be partly damaged, 34,000 persons will die and 114,000 persons will be injured in the Metropolitan Manila. 

Fire will also breakout and burn approximately 1,710 hectares and approximately 18,000 additional persons will be killed by this secondary disaster. Valenzuela City was listed under flammability vulnerability, specifically the areas near Kalookan City South and Quezon Quezon City West.

Knowledgeable of this study, Mayor WIN strengthens the city’s disaster risk reduction program.  He made the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Council (LDRRC) active and instigated the city’s own Rescue Unit, which is equipped, not just with gears, but with appropriate trainings to immediately response during address the aftermaths of disasters.

“We implement these, along with other measures to develop the City Government and our constituents’ capacity to prevent, prepare for and respond effectively to the adverse impacts of these seismic threats.  This agreement is a great boost to those programs to reduce our vulnerability,” he concluded.