The Caucus of Development NGO Networks (CODE-NGO) organized a 3-day contingency planning in preparation for the “Big One” or the 7.2 magnitude earthquake expected to hit the Metro when the West Valley Fault moves. CODE-NGO’s member networks in the National Capital Region (NCR) participated in the planning, which was facilitated by Mr. Tony Evasco of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) last July 29, July 30 and August 1, 2016.

“The goal of the planning was to create an earthquake contingency plan. We need to come up with a carefully planned response mechanism for our six national networks based in the NCR when the Big One strikes,” said Emelina Santos, Head of the National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO) Membership Relations and Networking Group, who also heads CODE-NGO’s Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Coordination Hub in NCR.

The participants, which included representatives from the Association of Foundations (AF), National Confederation of Cooperatives (NATCCO), National Council for Social Development Foundation in the Philippines (NCSD), Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PHILDHRRA), Partnership of Philippine Support Service Agencies (PHILSSA) and Aksyon sa Kahandaan sa Kalamidad at Klima (AKKMA) agreed that the purpose of their coming together, as reflected in their newly formulated Contingency Plan, was to “save lives and preserve property among member organizations, and ensure business continuity” when the anticipated earthquake comes.

“The process was highly participatory. Everyone gave inputs. Every attendee was heard. And once ratified, this plan and all its contents will be considered binding to all signatories,” added Ivy Marian Panganiban, CODE-NGO’s DRR Project Officer.

CODE-NGO is also organizing DRR Coordination Hubs in 9 other regions in the country and has, by far, mapped 94 member base organizations having DRRM-related initiatives. CODE-NGO’s capacity building initiatives for its DRR Hubs is being supported by Christian Aid in the Philippines.