Aquino orders review of disaster preparedness plans

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday ordered a review on the country’s earthquake and tsunami preparedness plans amid the twin disasters that hit Japan late last week. Aquino gave the instruction during a meeting with his Cabinet’s security cluster early in the day, according to Ricky Carandang, head of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. “There are disaster preparedness plans, the President just wants a review of the status of those disaster preparedness [measures]," Carandang said. “Instead of asking if we’re prepared, he just asked for a formal assessment on the level of preparedness." Carandang said the Office of the Civil Defense will brief the President on the status of the preparedness plans later this week. He said Aquino also asked to be updated on the plans to put up tsunami warning systems around the country. Following the magnitude-8.9 earthquake and tsunami in Japan last Friday, the Philippines raised it tsunami warning to Alert Level II in 19 provinces. The warning was lifted before Friday midnight as only small waves hit the shorelines of coastal towns. Carandang said Aquino also ordered a check on the radiation level of the imports from Japan. He, however, did not say which agency will conduct the checking. “Just as a precaution, imports from Japan mostly food stuff, will be checked for levels of radiation," Carandang said. Asked on the impact of the disasters in Japan suffered to the Philippine economy, Carandang said it is still too early to determine. “It’s too early to determine what kind of impact this will have to our economic relations with Japan. Even Japan, at this point, is still trying to assess the economic impact," he said. Present in the meeting were National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Presidential Management Staff head Julia Abad, the Department of Energy and Department of Science and Technology with its attached agencies Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. - Amita O. Legaspi/KBK, GMA News