On March 13, 2025, the UP Resilience Institute observed the 1st Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill at the University of the Philippines Manila. In attendance were Institution Building Director Carlos Gundran, Institution Building Chief Science Research Specialist Jose Abraham Ongkiko, and 15 representatives of UPRI. Joining them were the staff and interns of the UP Manila DRRM-H Office. The main purpose of this activity was to learn the various methods and standards utilized in UP Manila for emergency drills. Through participation in this drill, the Institution Building division aimed to develop their own best practices, applying the lessons and guidelines taught during the drill.
Image 1: Institution Building Director Dr. Carlos Gundran provides a briefing of the drill at the UP Manila DRRM-H Office
The observation team arrived at the Office of the Registrar, which served as the central location for the UP Manila DRRM-H Office during the drill. A briefing of the observation process was led by IB Director Dr. Carlos Gundran, where participants were provided an overview of the activities and the roles they would be observing. Following the briefing, all UPRI staff, UP Manila interns, and staff were assigned to designated locations for the drill, which was divided into three clusters: the Padre Faura, Taft (PGH), and Pedro Gil clusters. The observers’ primary responsibility was to take note of the timing of key activities throughout the drill and assess whether the activities were carried out as planned.
Image 2: The drill commencing in various zones and areas of UP Manila
The observers were particularly focused on specific elements of the drill, such as the activation of the drill, the proper procedure for opening doors, and the practice of “Duck, Cover, and Hold,” Both commendable points and areas for improvement were identified during the observation process. Observers were also given the opportunity to interview various participants before, during, and after the drill to gather additional insights into the drill’s execution. As part of the observation, the participants were asked to identify key roles in the Incident Command System (ICS), such as Team Leader, Zone Marshall, Building Marshall, College Marshall, Cluster Commander, and Incident Commander.
Image 3: The various clusters at their respective evacuation areas
The main evacuation area during the drill was located at the parking lot near the iconic Oblation statue. The drill commenced on time, and all observers performed their designated roles, documenting the progress and challenges as they occurred. After the drill, a debriefing session took place where the observers shared their observations on both positive and negative points. Each participant was encouraged to comment on another’s observations if revisions or clarifications were necessary. For example, the clearing of obstructions, due to prior knowledge of the scheduled drill, was discussed to determine whether it was a positive or negative aspect of the exercise.
Image 4: The UPRI volunteers and the UP Manila DRRM-H observers conduct a debriefing session of the NSED
Looking ahead, the experience gained from this drill serves as a critical foundation for strengthening emergency preparedness and response in the future. The attendees are committed to applying the lessons learned during this observation to refine and improve practices at UP Manila. It is with this hope that these insights will be extended to other University of the Philippines constituent universities (CUs), particularly UP Diliman, in order to build a stronger and more resilient community across all campuses.
Image 5: The various participants of the NSED 2025 1st Quarter Drill take a picture at the UP Manila Oblation Statue
For those interested, the final report of the briefing is available upon request at the UP Manila DRRM-H Office. You may contact them through 881-41-279/ 09563169795 or email upm-drrmh-list@up.edu.ph for more information.