SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union (PIA) – The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) noted how the public in Ilocos Region had greatly supported the first quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) on Thursday afternoon, March 9. 
 
Civil Defense Officer II Bernadette Abubo-Abad thanked the active participation of national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), and academe during the recently conducted NSED. 
 
“Nagpapasalamat at nagagalak po ang aming opisina na hindi lamang po NGAs at LGUs kundi pati mga kabataan sa mga eskwelahan ay lumahok din po sa NSED,” Abad said during an episode of Kapihan sa Ilocos on Friday. 
 
 In the region, some of the participating institutions or offices did not simply practice the ‘duck, cover and hold’ but also included simulation exercises of search and rescue, and giving first aid. 
 
“’Yong mga NGAs at LGUs natin na may contingency plans for earthquake ay tinitest na rin nila through simulation exercises kung gumagana ba ‘yong kanilang mga plano at para makita kung saan ba nila ito pwedeng ma-improve,” Abad said. 
 
 The conduct of NSED resumed full face-to-face this year.
 
Said earthquake drill is being regularly staged every quarter, spearheaded by the OCD, to promote awareness and preparedness in times of earthquake. 
 
Meanwhile, Abad said the OCD is continuously undertaking various strategies to capacitate the local disaster risk reduction and management councils down to the barangay level on their preparedness up to their recovery and rehabilitation plans which are all geared towards the goal of a more resilient Philippines. (JCR/AMB/CGRC, PIA Region 1)