DAVAO ORIENTAL— To ensure the public’s safety following the series of quakes that has toppled buildings in some areas in Mindanao, the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental is set to assess the structural integrity of all its public facilities.
In an Infrastructure Audit Training held on November 11 at Greg’s Hotel in the City of Mati, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officers (MDRRMO), Municipal Engineers, and City and Municipal Fire Marshals underwent a crash course on “Seismic Vulnerability Assessment of Existing Buildings.” The said technical course was presented by Provincial Structural Engineer John Christopher Algallar in preparation for the assessment of public buildings in their respective locality.
According to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Assistant Department Head Francis Jason Bendulo, the technical conference is in line with the Executive Order issued by Governor Nelson Dayanghirang on November 5, 2019 mandating the creation of Infrastructure Audit Team in the LGUs who will conduct an assessment to all public facilities such as hospitals and evacuation centers right after an earthquake.
“The governor is very serious in response to the incidents recorded especially earthquake. He wanted to capacitate the LGUs on how to become prepared and responsive in times of incidents, especially earthquake. It is unpredictable but we can prevent the loss of lives or casualties,” said Bendulo.
Al Jamil Macatabog, also from the PDRRMO, said that the assessment has already started in the city and municipalities right after Governor Dayanghirang issued the order. However, “only engineers have the capacity to determine the structural integrity of a building.”
“We have to conduct infrastructure audit right after any calamity like earthquake specifically on public infrastructures. Like in Governor Generoso town, the infrastructure audit team found out that one of its bridges is not safe anymore. So, I ordered the DPWH for automatic condemnation of the said bridge so that it will be repaired,” Governor Dayanghirang has said in a separate interview.
As discussed during the training, the participants are set to conduct “Rapid Visual Screening of Buildings for Potential Seismic Hazard,” a data collection form from Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Organized by the PDRRMO, personnel from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Education (DepEd), as well as Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology (DOSCST) have also participated in the said event. Macatabog said that a Provincial Audit team will be created after the training through an Executive Order to be issued by the Governor. By Riza M. Golez/Photos by Rhea Shane Laureano
