DPWH finishes structural audit on gov’t buildings in Metro Manila

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has finished a structural audit of government buildings and bridges along national roads in Metro Manila as part of its safety measures in preparation for a major earthquake.

DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral said that they deployed inspection teams to assess the more than 4,900 government structures in Metro Manila, majority of which are public schools and hospitals.

Initial findings show that at least 25 bridges and three flyovers need to be improved.

"We are going to retrofit and strengthen 25 critical bridges and three flyovers in Metro Manila that will cost us P1 billion [and] that's already in our budget," she said during the launching of the  Philippine Earthquake Model (PEM).

She added that the DPWH has adopted the use of the rapid visual screening, a methodology developed by the US Federal Emergency Management Authority that utilizes a "sidewalk survey" of buildings.

The structural audit, according to Cabral, is part of the government's measures to prevent the loss of life and property in the event of an anticipated major earthquake that could displace millions, especially those in the cities and provinces over the West Valley Fault.

"Prevention is better than cure and while we cannot prevent the happening of an earthquake, we can prevent our structures from collapsing by ensuring its structural integrity," Cabral said, adding that the PEM, which was launched by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, will "come in handy and will complement" the DPWH's current system.

Cabral said that the DPWH will be implementing P750-billion worth of infrastructure projects this year in line with the government's "Build, Build, Build" program. — BM, GMA News