More than a hundred participants in wheelchairs, crutches and
accompanied by caregivers, attended the first Emergency Preparedness Forum at
the SMX Convention Center.
Hosted by SM Cares, the Corporate Social Responsibility arm of SM Prime
Holdings, the forum enlightened the audience on the possibility of a potential
earthquake in Metro Manila, as well as other disasters and calamities.
Participants from different PWD organizations and learning institutions
attended the event including young people who are blind, deaf, children with
physical or orthopedic impairments, with Down Syndrome, Autism, and those with
rare disorders.
“Children and youth with
disabilities are at
a disadvantage during disasters due to their limitations on mobility. We at SM
Cares provide the best assistance not only in our malls. We extend our help by
teaching survival measures to those in need,” said Engr. Bien Mateo, SVP for
mall operations and SM Cares program director.
Dr. Renato Solidum, Jr., undersecretary for Disaster Risk Reduction of
the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and officer-in-charge of the
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), talked about
“The Big One” and the possibility of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Metro
Manila.
Meanwhile, Dr. Ted Esguerra, operational medicine instructor of the
International Disaster Response Network taught specific survival measures for
those with limited mobility, vision, and hearing.
The forum ended with an earthquake simulation exercise with Dr.
Esguerra, MMDA officials and volunteers from the audience.
To know more about
SM Cares, please visit www.smcares.com.ph, www.facebook.com/OfficialSMCares or
email smcares@prime.com.
