Aquino orders probe on damaged Cebu buildings

Seoul, South Korea—President Aquino has ordered an investigation into possible violations of the building code in the construction of some public buildings in Cebu in the wake of Tuesday’s 7.2-magnitude earthquake that shook the Visayas and Mindanao.

Aquino, who flew here on Thursday for a two-day state visit upon the invitation of President Park Geun-hye, said he had also directed the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Science and Technology to continue mapping out a comprehensive plan to make high-rise buildings and other structures more earthquake resilient.

The President said he himself noticed that the steel bars used in the construction of the Mandaue Public Market and the Cebu Capitol building seemed short of specifications in the New Building Code.

“I’m not an engineer or an architect, but it didn’t look to me like a very good construction. But I don’t want to [make any conclusion] as I’m having it investigated,” the President told members the Philippine media in a news briefing at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Thursday night.

“I noticed that the reinforcing bars were unsubstantial. I may not be a muscle-builder, but I thought I could break them by bending the steel bars just three times,” he said, noting that the steel bars should be strong enough to reinforce the buildings’ concrete walls.

He said he also observed that the concrete walls of the Mandaue public market were not smooth, an indication that they were “not finished” in the manner dictated by the building code.

The President also announced that South Korea has donated $300,000 for the victims of the quake in Cebu and Bohol.

James Abadia, city administrator of Mandaue city, welcomed Aquinos comments.

We are one with the President in his intent and efforts of ensuring the safety of Mandauehanons,” he said.

Mayor Jonas Cortes is seeking the help of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers – Cebu chapter and the Department of Public Works and Highways “to determine the whether the market structure is up to standard.”

Abadia said the mayor has given the “independent” body one month to finish their investigation.

President Aquino visited Cebu and Bohol on Wednesday, and dropped by the Provincial Capitol, the Sto. Niño Basiica and the Mandaue public market which had suffered damage.

He told Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Mayor Cortes to call the attention of the municipal engineers regarding his observations. “so we will make them understand that ‘good enough’ won’t do.”

The new Mandaue City Public Market was built in 2006 during the tenure of mayor Thadeo Ouano. It started operations in 2012.

Repair terminals

With the All Souls and All Saints holidays coming up, the President has ordered the Cebu Port Authority to immediately repair the passenger terminals damaged by Tuesday’s earthquake.

The CPA serves over a million passengers during peak season.

CPA media liaison officer, lawyer Karen Gonzales, told Cebu Daily News that structural engineers are checking cracks in the CPA building and passenger terminals.

Only Terminal 2 is operational.

Terminal 3 needs repair while Terminal 1 is still under construction and will be opened by the end of October.

Terminal 3 has cracks on the floor and walls and debris that fell from its ceilings.

Passengers are not allowed to use the building since aftershocks continue.

Condemned buildings

The 60-bed privately-owned Dr. Ignacio Cortes Hospital in Mandaue City voluntarily closed after engineers found their building unsafe for occupancy after the earthquake.

Two government buildings housing the Commission on Audit (COA) and the Regional Trial Court branches 55 and 28 are also closed because of quake damage.

These offices will be temporarily relocated to the City Social Welfare Services.

The Dr. Ignacio Cortes Hospital will be permanently abandoned for safety.There were 48 patients at the hospital when the earthquake happened last Tuesday.

Angie Amaguien, administrative officer of the hospital, said five patients were transferred to another hospital while the rest were advised to go home.

Amaquien said that they will open an out-patient office across the hospital./Inquirer with reports from Jucell Marie P. Cuyos and Michelle Joy L. Padayhag