Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 7) — The Department of Energy (DOE) launched an energy preparedness plan in the event that a magnitude 7.2 or stronger earthquake hits the Greater Metro Manila Area.
The National Energy Contingency Plan (NECP) ensures the energy sector is ready and resilient enough for any disaster, including the predicted high-magnitude quake deemed as “The Big One,” the DOE said.
NECP’s main objectives include restoration of electric services, petroleum products allocation and distribution to identified critical facilities, and “expeditiously addressing the associated effects on domestic socio-political stability,” the DOE statement said.
“Through the Task Force on Energy Resiliency (TFER) spearheaded by the DOE, the NECP for ‘The Big One’ shall be automatically activated and shall be the responsible organization of the energy sector for disaster response until the early recovery phase,” it said
The DOE added that the task force will also be the “principal organization” to coordinate with other disaster response agencies including the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
TFER is composed of energy stakeholders and participants from the power and oil industries created through Department Circular No. DC2018-01-0001 or the Adoption of Energy Resiliency in the Planning and Programming of the Energy Sector to Mitigate Potential Impacts of Disaster.
State seismologists and authorities have been preparing for a big earthquake, given that the Philippines lies along an arc of faults around the Pacific Ocean known as the “Ring of Fire,” where most of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.
