Philippine disaster officials are urging coastal communities in Metro Manila and 66 provinces to prepare for tsunamis, warning that residents could have as little as five minutes to evacuate.
Teresito Bacolcol, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said understanding tsunami risks and warning signs is essential to helping communities respond quickly.
“It is vital for them to know the threats so they could prepare and take the right preventive measures such as structural retrofitting, evacuation, drills and preparing go bags,” Bacolcol told the public on Tuesday.
The time available to move away from threatened areas can range from five to 20 minutes, depending on the event, he said.
“Tsunamis can occur without warning. The aftermath can be huge like collapsed buildings, high casualties, especially in highly urbanized cities,” he said.
At a separate news conference Tuesday in Quezon City, agency Deputy Director Ma. Mylene Villegas said Metro Manila and 66 of the country’s 82 provinces have coastal areas exposed to tsunamis.
George Keyser, the Office of Civil Defense’s director for the capital region, said eight Metro Manila cities face tsunami threats. He stressed the need to prepare for an earthquake and tsunami occurring in the same event.
“A major offshore earthquake can generate a tsunami, which means that the earthquake and tsunami may occur within the same event,” Keyser said.
Villegas said 94 coastal villages across six provinces have received training through the Tsunami-Ready Communities initiative since 2023. Many coastal communities have also installed signs to support preparedness efforts, she said.
A tsunami exercise is held during the fourth quarter as part of the nationwide simultaneous earthquake drill to test local contingency plans.
Officials are also expanding national coordination through the newly established National Tsunami Ready Board, led by the Office of Civil Defense. Its members include the Department of Science and Technology and the departments responsible for local government, the environment and economic development.
The board will oversee, evaluate and approve community applications for the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission’s Tsunami Ready Recognition Programme. A national tsunami action plan is expected to be rolled out in 2027, Villegas said.
As part of the awareness campaign, the volcanology institute and its government and private-sector partners will hold “Tsunami! Run for Safety” at 5 a.m. Oct. 24 at the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City.
Registration was temporarily closed after available slots filled, but additional slots will open Oct. 18, Bacolcol said.
The event follows earlier runs in Mati City in 2024 and Vigan City in 2025. Partners include SM Supermalls, ARISE Philippines, the Pasay city government and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
The campaign comes ahead of World Tsunami Awareness Day on Nov. 5, a United Nations observance promoting awareness and preparedness.
