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MANILA, Philippines — Low and mid-rise buildings in Metro Manila need an earthquake safety assessment as many are considered “non-engineered,” Science Secretary Renato Solidum said Tuesday.
“The vital action that must be done is to assess all buildings, especially at the local level. Find out if they are earthquake resistant, retrofit these buildings if it’s cost-effective to retrofit and condemn the buildings that must be condemned,” Solidum said.
Following the 7.7-magnitude temblor that struck Myanmar last week, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Monday said the Philippines is ill-prepared since its structures are far from being earthquake-proof.
If the Marikina Valley fault system moves, Solidum said the quake would impact smaller buildings more than skyscrapers.
“If you look at an earthquake scenario where… the buildings are close to the epicenter of the fault, then the energy of the earthquake released during the movement of the fault is fast,” he told Bilyonaryo News Channel.
“In that sense, the lighter buildings, hence, the shorter buildings – one-story to mid-rise buildings – will be shaken more than the heavier or tall buildings,” he pointed out.
High-rise buildings, however, are not immune from potential damage, Solidum said, citing the case of Thailand.
“If you look at the Myanmar damage, most of this is either residential or short buildings to mid-rise buildings, but in Bangkok, which is so far away, the taller buildings are affected,” he said.
“As the earthquake waves move away, it transforms to slower shaking and the tendency is for high-rise buildings to sway and liquid containers like water tanks and swimming pools will also be severely affected,” he stressed.
Using the United States’ Hazus program, a 2008 study by the Tokyo Institute of Technology projected that over 1.2 million buildings in Metro Manila could incur damage from a 6.7-magnitude earthquake.
More than 295,000 low-rise buildings with one to three stories and 630 mid-rise structures with four to seven stories could be “completely” damaged by the disaster, the study said.
A “moderate” damage for most high-rise buildings with eight to 15 stories is projected by the study.
Solidum, who led the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) from 2003 to 2022, said owners of high-rise buildings have ensured compliance with the National Structural Code.
First released in 1992 and last updated in 2015, the code mandates that structures must be “designed and constructed to sustain appropriate combinations of vertical loads and lateral forces due to wind or earthquake.”
In 2021, the World Bank approved a $300-million loan (approximately P17 billion in today’s money) for the Philippines Seismic Risk Reduction and Resilience Project, enhancing the capacity of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to prepare for disasters.
A chunk of this funding, about $245 million, was allocated to retrofit over 400 public schools and health centers in Metro Manila over a period of five years.
Work with DPWH, private sector urged
Meanwhile, the DPWH yesterday urged the private sector to work with their engineers to ensure the resilience of their buildings following the temblor that hit Thailand and Myanmar.
“They can coordinate with their professional engineers to get the evaluation and possible engineering solutions or retrofitting or strengthening of their structures,” DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral said.
Local government units (LGUs) should issue occupancy and construction permits appropriately, she maintained.
For existing buildings, Cabral said engineering solutions, including retrofitting of structures, are available.
Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol said houses and buildings should be earthquake resilient.
Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro earlier urged LGUs to inspect buildings and to be strict in issuing permits.
OCD administrator Ariel Nepomuceno has encouraged the public to use hazardhunter.ph to determine if their home addresses or travel destinations are prone to risks.
‘Big One’
In the wake of the earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has called on LGUs to step up their disaster preparedness efforts, particularly for the anticipated 7.2-magnitude “Big One” earthquake.
Gatchalian made the call amid concerns about the potential impact of a major earthquake along the West Valley Fault that runs through Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
“We cannot afford complacency in preparing for the ‘Big One,’ especially since the Philippines is located within the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire,’” he said.
Overseas voting
Overseas voting for Filipinos in Myanmar is pushing through as scheduled despite the earthquake, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said yesterday.
Postal voting will be conducted for over 300 registered Filipino voters in Myanmar from April 13 to May 12, Comelec Chairman George Garcia said.
The poll body will send paper ballots and automated counting machines, he noted.
Ballots will be deployed through a diplomatic pouch, he said.
“We have spoken with the Philippine embassy in Myanmar and they said there are no problems with the infrastructure and Filipinos were properly accounted for,” Garcia said.
The Comelec, he said, is conducting internet voting in Thailand.
Over 8,000 registered Filipino voters are in Thailand.
4 Pinoys still missing
Authorities are still searching for four missing Filipinos in Myanmar, according to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA).
The four Filipinos are believed to be trapped under the collapsed Sky Villa building.
“A composite team of the Philippine embassy in Myanmar met with officials leading search and rescue operations, as well as officials of the Mandalay General Hospital, to identify the foreigners recovered from the collapsed building,” the OWWA said.
The embassy is trying to get information from 11 rescued Filipinos, which could help in search and rescue efforts for the missing Filipinos. – Alexis Romero, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Mayen Jaymalin
