PHL wants speedy infrastructure repairs like Japan

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) wants to take a page out of Japan's book when it comes to repairing damaged infrastructure, a Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) official said on Friday.

During the Agos Summit on Disaster Preparedness at SM Aura in Taguig City, MMDA disaster risk reduction adviser Ramon Santiago showed photos of the repair of a highway in Japan after a massive earthquake struck the country in 2011.

Santiago said that the highway was fixed in six days.

"We hope to do this here in the Philippines," Santiago said.

"The DPWH is already looking into how this can be achieved," he added.

The move is part of the government's preparations for a powerful earthquake that would rock Metro Manila if and when the 100-km West Valley fault moves.

The last major earthquake generated by the fault was in 1658. Santiago said that data from the study of previous earthquakes show that the fault moves every 200 to 400 years.

Santiago said that the MMDA has existing contingency plans, created with the worst case scenario in mind: that the West Valley fault would generate at magnitude 6.5 earthquake at nighttime.

He added that they are slowly building up resources for the next big quake, but stressed that Filipinos should participate in the drills and summits provided by the government.

"We firmly believe that the way to reduce our vulnerability is to prepare people, raise their level of awareness," he said. —JST, GMA News