Manila, Oct. 15 -- The Department of Health (DOH) on Tuesday assured the public that its hospitals across the National Capital Region (NCR) are prepared to respond to emergencies in case of a major earthquake, also known as "The Big One."

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa said under the DOH's earthquake contingency plan, Metro Manila has been divided into four quadrants - north, east, west and south - with designated DOH hospitals assigned to each area.

This organized system, Herbosa said, assures rapid medical response should a 7.2-magnitude earthquake strike the capital.

He added that these hospitals passed the hospital safety index and have contingency measures for large-scale disasters.

Older facilities have undergone structural retrof...