After Japan quake, building inspections start in NCR

Following last Friday's powerful quake that devastated Japan, local government units in Metro Manila have started scheduling stricter inspections of buildings. In Caloocan City, the city government ordered all structures examined to see if they can withstand a powerful quake, radio dzBB's Allan Gatus reported Monday. The report said the inspection teams have instructions to check for violations of building safety codes, and to lodge charges against the owners. A magnitude-8.9 quake devastated Japan last March 11, generating a tsunami that caused further destruction. Authorities there estimate the number of fatalities to be over 10,000.

On Sunday, Malacañang said it now expects local government units to do their part and automatically inspect structures vulnerable to quakes, even though President Benigno Aquino III is happy with government’s response to Friday's tsunami threat. Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte on Sunday reminded LGUs it is within their jurisdiction to check the safety and soundness of structures when it comes to quake-related concerns. "Opo, opo nakita natin nagkaroon ng lead time lahat gumalaw from the NDRRMC, ang ating kasundaluhan, ang kapulisan, at local government, ang DILG at DSWD at lahat talagang rumesponde sa panawagan natin na either maglikas o maghanda para walang mangyaring pinsala sa atin," Valte said on government-run dzRB radio, when asked if Aquino was satisfied with the tsunami response. (Yes, he was satisfied with the way the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council handled the situation, from the NDRRMC to policemen and soldiers, and the Interior and Social Welfare Departments. They managed to evacuate residents in threatened areas given the lead time they got.) Aquino was on his way back to Manila after he completed state visits to Indonesia and Singapore, when state seismologists raised a tsunami alert in coastal areas in 19 provinces following a powerful quake that struck Japan Friday. But now, Valte said it is up to the LGUs to take their cue and check the safety and security of structures to make sure they are relatively safe from quakes. "In the light of recent events di na sila dapat sinasabihan pa. Yan ang trabaho nila to conduct safety inspections ng ating mga buildings (In the light of recent events, they should no longer wait for instructions from us. It is their job to conduct safety inspections on our buildings)," she said. — RSJ, GMA News