Authorities have inspected some schools and buildings in Metro Manila amid the threat of a massive earthquake or the “Big One.”
In Sandra Aguinaldo’s report on “24 Oras” on Tuesday, the local government and city engineers of Pasay City inspected school buildings. Hard hats were also distributed to the students and teachers.
Likewise, authorities in Muntinlupa City checked government buildings and school facilities, as some barangays are along the fault line. Earthquake drills in the city are expected to be conducted soon.
Meanwhile, a marker of the West Valley Fault can be found on one of the streets in Barangay Pembo in Taguig City. Just beside the marker is the house of Joel Medalla, who has been attending seminars on earthquake preparedness.
“Dati ako zone leader dito kaya alam ko ang gagawin. Depende na lang siguro sa edad ko kung gaano kaliksi ang kilos pa,” he said.
(I used to be a zone leader here, so I know what to do. It just depends on my age, I guess, how quick I can still move.)
The fault line is just in front of the Pembo Elementary School, which is home to 2,500 students.
“Meron po kaming disaster preparedness na ginagawa every year…Meron din po kaming hiwalay na community-based seminars,” said barangay kagawad Dexter Miranda.
(We have disaster preparedness [activities] that we do every year… We also have separate community-based seminars.)
There are 74,000 residents in Barangay Pembo, hence the need to inform them.
“Kailangan informed ang bawat isa sa kanila kung ano ang dapat gawin, kung saan at kanino makikinig at anong dapat i-prepare sa ganitong pangyayari,” said barangay captain Michael Arcilla.
(Each one of them needs to be informed on what to do, where and who to listen to, and what to prepare for in an event like this.)
“Ang first na pupuntahan ay yung mga open court, open service road dito sa taas ‘yun po yung mga open area namin.”
(The first places to go are the open court, the open service road up here—those are our open areas.)
A structural engineer advised that buildings must be regularly inspected.
“I would generally say na yung condominiums and office buildings, mostly high-rise structures, are generally safe in terms of structural design. Kasi I believe that most developers, big developers, get reputable structural engineers to design their condominiums and office buildings,” said Ronaldo Ison, fellow and past president of the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines.
(I would generally say that condominiums and office buildings, mostly high-rise structures, are generally safe in terms of structural design. Because I believe that most developers, big developers, get reputable structural engineers to design their condominiums and office buildings.) —Vince Angelo Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News
