MANILA, Philippines — Most buildings in the country, including the Batasang Pambansa Complex in Quezon City which is the headquarters of the House of Representatives, lack earthquake alarm systems and violate the National Building Code, 1-Pacman Rep. Enrico Pineda said Thursday.
“Ako po’y nananawagan lalo na sa ating mga kababayang nakatira sa condominum or working in places na skyscraper heights na, I think they should ask the building owners if they have the earthquake machine because required na po ito ng batas,” Pineda said in a press conference.
“Unfortunately, we discovered that almost 90 percent of the buildings within the Philippines remain non-compliant with the guidelines,” he added in a separate statement.
Pineda explained that these “life-saving” earthquake recording instrumentations (ERI) or accelerographs are required for all buildings under the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the National Building Code or Presidential Decree No. 1096.
Accelerographs, he said, are sensors that monitor building response to strong ground motion, record data and trigger alarms when there’s an earthquake.
“If we fail to ensure compliance to the IRR and the Big One comes, the loss of lives and limbs shall be unspeakably devastating,” Pineda said, referring to the estimated 7.2 magnitude quake that could hit parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces if the 100-kilometer West Valley Fault moves.
Pineda and fellow 1-Pacman Rep. Michael Romero filed House Resolution No. 32 which seeks to direct the House public works and highways committee to inquire into the compliance of building owners to the installation of ERIs.
The IRR which took effect 2015, mandates that accelerographs be installed in all government and private structures of a certain height or size in Seismic Zone 4 in the entire country, according to Pineda. /muf