Building housing Senate declared safe after magnitude 7 quake

The GSIS Building in Pasay City, which houses the Senate of the Philippines, has been declared safe for work after Wednesday morning's magnitude 7 earthquake in Luzon.

Engr. Divine Apolinar, head of the building's maintenance department, said they found hairline cracks that are "very minimal" during their inspections but these are not a cause for concern.

"The building is safe po," Apolinar told reporters in a chance interview, adding there were no damage found in rooms that were being renovated.

She said they would also be plastering the walls to "rectify" the hairline cracks.

According to Apolinar, the building, located inside Pasay City's Financial Center, can withstand an Intensity IX earthquake after it was retrofitted in 2012.

She added that the design of the building's foundation is very safe.

Senate officials and employees, along with Senators Robinhood Padilla and JV Ejercito, evacuated the Senate building amid the earthquake, the epicenter of which was traced in Tayum, Abra. —Hana Bordey/KBK, GMA News