The Office of Civil Defense (OCD), under the directive of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Romualdez Marcos Jr., moved quickly today to implement precautionary measures following the magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Kamchatka, Russia. As Chair of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Secretary of National Defense Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. directed all member agencies to prioritize public safety in times of disasters and the government is taking an aggressive stance in anticipation of possible tsunami activity.

At the Office of Civil Defense in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Assistant Secretary Cesar M. Idio, Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Operations, led the Inter-Agency Coordinating Cell (IACC) at the time the alert broke. Without delay, Asec. Idio activated all available resources and coordinated with national and local government units to initiate preemptive evacuations across high-risk coastal communities.

Asec. Idio stressed following Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’ advisory and to operate with full urgency, his objective is that the safety of the Filipino people must come first, even if steps to do so may be excessive because earthquakes can be followed by others.

While the numbers are still being tallied, Filipino citizens have been safely evacuated from vulnerable coastal zones with LGU’s from coastal barangays working in close coordination with OCD regional offices and NDRRMC member agencies.

OCD Officer-in-Charge and Civil Defense Deputy Administrator for Administration, Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito R. Alejandro IV, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to safeguard lives and emphasized the proactive posture of the NDRRMC.

Phivolcs has warned that tsunami waves under one meter could strike this afternoon between 1:20 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., with the possibility of unusual wave activity continuing for hours after. Phivolcs Chief Teresito Bacolcol urged residents in eastern coastal areas to move inland and avoid beaches until the advisory is lifted.

Secretary Teodoro, speaking at the IACC meeting, underscored the importance of readiness. “It is better to err on the side of caution than risk lives,” he stated. “We can never be too prepared.”

With President Marcos’ guidance and the unified action of the NDRRMC, the government stands firm in its commitment to protect every Filipino – through vigilance, swift action, and preparedness in the face of unpredictable natural threats. ///with details from charm albacite of OCD