Baguio: Three major academic institutions in this city will participate in the quarterly National Simultaneous Earthquake Drill on Thursday afternoon to assess their earthquake preparedness plans, aimed at ensuring the safety of more than 40,000 students across all levels.

According to Philippines News Agency, Charles Carame, City Disaster Risk Reduction Management (CDRRMC) chief, stated in an interview on Thursday that they will focus on evaluating the implementation of the earthquake preparedness plans at Saint Louis University (SLU), University of the Cordilleras (UC), and the University of Baguio (UB). These institutions, comprising students from basic education to postgraduate levels, have campuses spread across different parts of the city.

Carame highlighted the unique challenge posed by UB's location in the Central Business District (CBD), where evacuation routes include passing through Mabini Street and Assumption Road and crossing Session Road towards Melvin Jones, the designated evacuation area. He emphasized the necessity of closely examining their evacuation plan and its execution during the drill.

The drill will also assess the speed and organization of evacuations conducted by schools and surrounding businesses, as they evacuate customers and students. Additionally, Carame mentioned that barangays would be assigned tasks and monitored for their coordination with city officials in the event of a major earthquake.

Carame urged household participation in the drill to identify any gaps and necessary improvements in preparedness. He recalled the panic and confusion during the October 2025 earthquake in Baguio, which underscored the importance of regular drills to build muscle memory and ensure readiness.

Looking forward, Carame revealed plans by the city government to conduct evening drills and surprise earthquake drills to further enhance the community's preparedness.