DPWH exec: Socialized housing units may be prone to quake damage

Public works teams may take a closer look at socialized housing units, especially those built before the year 2000, to see if these are prone to damage in the event of powerful earthquakes in the country. Department of Public Works and Highways Undersecretary Romeo Momo admitted Tuesday there is a chance such housing units did not meet safety standards as builders could have been saving on costs. “May buildings na constructed before 2000, lalo ang socialized housing, dahil medyo di masyadong malaki ang budget nito. These kind of buildings (may be) susceptible to high-intensity quakes (Some buildings constructed before 2000, especially socialized housing units, may be susceptible to high-intensity quakes, understandably because of budget constraints)," Momo said in an interview on dzXL radio. He said the National Building Code of 2000 had adopted and redefined safety standards to make buildings and structures withstand earthquakes of up to Intensity VIII. Thus, he said high- and medium-rise buildings, especially those built from 2000 onwards, are likely to withstand powerful quakes. Also, buildings built before 2000 have likely been reinforced, he added. Momo said the DPWH continues to conduct year-round inspections of buildings through a task force created to investigate and inspect both public and private buildings. “We (also) tasked local government building officials to continuously do inspection on buildings around Metro Manila and the whole of the country to make sure they are strong enough to withstand powerful quakes," he said. In a separate interview on dzBB radio, Momo said the country’s bridges and roads are quake-safe because they have been retrofitted. In Metro Manila, he said only four bridges have not yet been retrofitted. “Our flyovers are guaranteed safe. High- and medium-rise buildings have complied with the design requirements of the National Building Code upgrading the standards of structures to withstand quakes of up to Intensity VIII," he said. - LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV