DTI Usecs. Teodoro Pascua (Consumer Protection Grp.) and Zenaida Maglaya (Regional Opn’s Grp.) called an urgent meeting to discuss the ill-effects of an earthquake the magnitude of which Metro Manila may find itself in a dilemma for months-to-come if not properly prepared and handled.  Meeting was held on 23 November 2017 at the Office of Usec. Pascua at 2/F UPRC Bldg. along Gil Puyat Ave.  Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) together with the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) convened the Inter-Agency Resiliency Team. DTI is a member of the TWG on Food.   PAGASA suggested that learning from past lessons:

1.) The military (not the PNP) must secure all food retail establishments to maintain order when the Big One strikes (and avoid looting);

2.) Road Plans have to be revealed, same with the 4 quadrants of MMDA and evacuation areas of these 4 areas to avoid over-congestion in one area and for the public to be traveling in the areas which are decongested;

3.) to continuously decongest MM as food will only last for a few days if everyone stays within this metropolis (since the number of people in the day time is very much different from that in the night timeas workers travel back to residences in the adjacent provinces in Calabarzon and Central Luzon areas; and
4.) to inform the public before-hand which radio stations  to listen to (with battery-operated radios) since commu- nication systems may be down when cell towers,phone and electric lines are down.