By Jhon Casinas In preparation for the “Big One” or the strong earthquake caused by the movement of the West Valley Fault, Pasig City has strengthened its disaster response mechanism as it recently forged a partnership with the Cagayan Valley region. Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto (KEVIN TRISTAN ESPIRITU / MANILA BULLETIN) Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Office of Civil Defense Cagayan Valley Regional Director Dante Balao signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) detailing the coordination between Pasig and Cagayan Valley region for the preparations and deployment of responders in case the 7.2 magnitude earthquake strikes Metro Manila. “In case of any big disaster, like the ‘Big One,’ our friends from the Cagayan Valley are the ones assigned to respond,” Sotto told the Manila Bulletin. Bryant Wong, Pasig Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PCDRRMO) chief, said Pasig City was the first local government unit  in Metro Manila to partner with an assisting region designated to response in case the “Big One” hits the metropolis. “This would be activated pag nagkaroon ng disaster,” Wong said. Under the agreement, responders from the Cagayan Valley Region Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council will undergo capacity building and training at Pasig Rescue Emergency Disaster Training Center. The PCDRRMO will provide the necessary funds for the training. Pasig and assisting LGUs of Cagayan Valley region will also conduct tabletop and communication exercises, as well as full-scale simulations of their disaster response measures. The MOU also provides that the Cagayan Valley Response Teams will utilize their equipment and facilities in times of disaster. Moreover, the CVDRRMC shall provide responders to assist Pasig in times of disaster, and “will be responsible for the logistical support of all assisting LGUs” to the city. Both parties shall also share information on standard operating procedures, protocols, contingency plans as well as conduct regular meetings and dialogue. The 100-kilometer West Valley Fault runs through six cities in Metro Manila—including Pasig City— and nearby provinces. In a joint study of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA),  Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the “Big One” would result to the death of 33,500 people and injure 113,600 people. “This is why it's very important for us to be prepared in terms of planning, communication, and capacity-building,” Sotto said.