The Manila Electric Company (Meralco), led by Manuel V. Pangilinan, intensified its disaster preparedness efforts as more than 3,000 employees, contractors, and partners participated in the Fourth Quarter Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill (NSED) organized by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Held at the Meralco Operating Center in Pasig City, the full-scale drill simulated a 7.2-magnitude earthquake along the West Valley Fault, testing Meralco’s emergency response readiness, business continuity plans, and overall seismic preparedness.
The company’s Business Continuity Management team conducted the exercise without pre-positioned resources and under complex emergency scenarios designed to mirror real-world calamities. The simulation included high-angle rescue and fire suppression, mass casualty triage, and collapsed structure extraction.
Beyond the standard “duck, cover, and hold” protocol, teams carried out structural damage assessments, activated continuity procedures, and deployed critical emergency infrastructure such as an incident command post, emergency operations center, field hospital, mobile kitchen, and evacuation center. Coordination with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) and internal units via satellite phones ensured uninterrupted communication in a disaster setting.
Observers from the Office of Civil Defense–National Capital Region, the Pasig City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation monitored and evaluated the drill.
“The successful conduct of our full-scale earthquake simulation for ‘The Big One’ underscores Meralco’s unwavering commitment to safety and resilience,” said Ronnie L. Aperocho, Meralco Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “By rigorously testing our emergency response and business continuity measures under realistic conditions, we have strengthened our capability to protect our people, sustain critical operations, and support the communities we serve.”
Meralco continues to participate in the quarterly NSED as part of its long-term commitment to operational continuity, disaster resilience, and public safety.