According to DOST-7: Scientific tools vital for Cebu earthquake preparedness

CEBU, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology in Central Visayas (DOST-7) has reiterated the importance of science-based disaster preparedness tools as concerns grow over the West Valley Fault and other active fault systems that could generate a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Cebu.

DOST-7, in a statement, said local government units in Cebu already have access to the Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS), a hazard modeling tool developed by the national science department to simulate earthquake scenarios and estimate potential impacts on communities.

“DOST has a system called REDAS (Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System) that can be used by LGUs to estimate potential damage, identify high-risk areas, and simulate earthquake scenarios,” the agency said, underscoring the tool’s role in strengthening risk-informed planning.

It reiterated that beneath Cebu lies a fault system capable of generating a magnitude 7.0 earthquake.

“This is not a distant possibility, it is a known risk,” DOST-7 said.

To recall, on September 30, 2025, a devastating earthquake struck Bogo City, killing nearly 80 people, injuring over 500, and affecting more than 740,000 across Cebu.

DOST-7 said the earthquake served as a warning of what similar seismic forces can do when they strike vulnerable and densely populated areas.

According to DOST-7, disaster risk reduction and management offices in Cebu City and Cebu Province have already undergone training on REDAS in coordination with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) in March, enabling them to better visualize earthquake impacts based on scientific models.

“Ang atong mga DRRM sa Cebu City and Cebu Province kay natrain na sa DOST-PHIVOLCS regarding sa REDAS last March. Hopefully they will fully utilize the system,” the agency said.

The renewed emphasis comes amid growing concern over Cebu City’s vulnerability to a so-called “Big One,” given its dense population, rapid vertical urban development, and the presence of informal settlements in hazard-prone areas.

DOST-7 notes that while earthquake timing cannot be predicted, hazard exposure can be measured and mapped using available geoscientific data.

REDAS simulations, it said, allow LGUs to anticipate possible damage and identify critical zones for evacuation planning, infrastructure strengthening, and land-use regulation.

However, DOST-7 stressed that preparedness goes beyond simulations, pointing out that scientific data must be translated into concrete policy action.

The agency said the effectiveness of disaster preparedness will ultimately depend on whether local governments enforce zoning regulations, retrofit vulnerable structures, and relocate communities in high-risk areas before a major earthquake strikes.

As Cebu continues to expand, DOST-7 emphasized that the challenge is no longer the absence of scientific information, but the urgency of applying it.

“Science alone does not save lives. It must be embedded into planning, infrastructure design, and disaster preparedness systems,” it said. — (FREEMAN)