SENATOR Robinhood Padilla sees the powerful quake that hit Luzon on Wednesday as a wake-up call to strengthen the government’s disaster resilience and response mechanism especially at the local level.

Padilla said implementing the mandatory Reserve Officers Training Corps and Medical Reserved Corps will be a big help in this regard.

“Kailangan po natin magdagdag  ng pagiging handa. May magandang panukala ang ating mahal na Pangulong Marcos na magkaroon ng medical reserve corps. Bukod po yun sa pagmandato sa ROTC,” Padilla said.

He also cited the need to strengthen disaster response.

“Siguro ang palakasin muna natin kasi meron tayong mga regional disaster response, na nandiyan na sila. Palakasin natin sila, bigyan ng pondo. Ang gusto ko lang imungkahi palagi, bigyan natin ng kalayaan ang regional na magdesisyon sa sarili nila. Kasi ang pagresponde depende kung sinong teritoryo kung sino taga doon mas alam nila,” Padilla said.

Padilla was in his office in the fifth floor of the Senate building and was preparing for a briefing by his legal team when he felt the quake.

“Sinabi ko sa kasama ko lumilindol ha, walang magpa-panic,” he said.