Sunday, April 03, 2011

86 Structures In Western Visayas Need Repair/Rehab

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Iloilo City has recommended the conduct of detailed evaluation with repair and rehabilitation of 86 buildings in Western Visayas.

These 86 buildings are old structures, composed of schools and public buildings. They are part of the 171 buildings that were subjected to inspection in 2010.

DPWH regional director Evelyn T. Barroso in her letter to Secretary Rogelio Singson likewise disclosed that of the 171 buildings inspected all over the region, seven are recommended for detailed evaluation while 20 are in need of urgent detailed evaluation.

The urgent detailed evaluation means further structural evaluation or engineering evaluation shall be made to determine the structural performance of the structure in case of major earthquakes.

"Due to high level of importance of the buildings, urgent and immediate structural evaluation should be undertaken preferably by private engineering consultant," said Architect Alberto S. Saclauso, the over-all team leader of the Task Force on Building and Bridges Inspections.

The inspection covered 52 structures in Iloilo; 33 in Negros Occidental; nine in Guimaras; 11 from Aklan; 23 from Capiz and 43 from Antique.

To recall, Secretary Singson in his memorandum dated March 15 ordered the "conduct of re-inspection of all buildings and bridges along national roads constructed before the issuance of the National Building Code of the Philippines in 1976."

Specifically, hospitals and schools shall be given priority in the conduct of inspection. The inspection is supposedly part of the agency’s earthquake disaster mitigation measures. (PNA)

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