Is your house quake-ready? 12 questions

In the event of an earthquake, just how safe is your house?

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has developed a “self-check” tool to determine whether houses made of concrete hollow blocks can withstand a major temblor. (See checklist here.)

Launched on Wednesday, the set of 12 questions mainly delves into the history and design of the house, and assigns a point system to assess the level of “risk.” Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum said it should be disseminated among local government units, down to the barangays.

A house that earns a score of 11 to 12 points, for example, can be considered “safe for now” but the owner should consult experts “for confirmation.” Eight to 10 points mean the house “requires strengthening,” while zero to 7 points suggest a “disturbing” condition.

Solidum noted that the great majority of houses in the country were made of concrete hollow blocks and were “nonengineered” since most people would hire only carpenters and masons to cut costs. Most of these houses do not comply with the standards set by the National Building Code.

Ronaldo Ison of the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (Asep), one of the partners in the project, said the organization was holding workshops around the country on the cheap and simple ways to retrofit homes.

The self-check project is a collaboration among Phivolcs, Asep, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency.

In February 2011, scientists from Japan and the Philippines tested two full-scale models of concrete hollow block houses. One was constructed according to the building code standards while the other was not compliant.

After being subjected to a simulated magnitude 6.9 quake, the first model withstood the shaking with only minor damage but the second model had its gable—the triangular portion of the wall between the sloping edges of the roof—collapsing.