Second opinion on structure’s integrity: Cebu City Council wants inspection of condominium

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City council is seeking the opinion of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE), an independent group of structural engineers, to determine the structural integrity of the 20-year-old city-owned condominium situated along N. Bacalso Avenue that was deemed unsafe following the October 15, 2013 earthquake.

Through a resolution authored by City Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the committee on infrastructure and urban planning, approved during their regular session last August 24, the council requested for PICE to inspect the building especially that it is still occupied.

“The reason why I am asking for second opinion from PICE is because after the inspection conducted by OBO (Office of the Building Office) and GSO (General Services Office), immediately they made the announcement that the building is not structurally sound and safe and is not livable. Unfortunately, the building is still 90 percent occupied,” he told The FREEMAN.

The five-storey, 17-room condominium was occupied by around 600 students from the mountain barangays who pay P350 per month to the city as rent.

The FREEMAN tried to call Engineer Josefa Ylanan of OBO but she was not available as of press time.

Guardo said they hoped that PICE would already give its recommendation on the said facility next week.

Aside from the request to PICE, the City Council also requested the GSO and OBO to submit the report of their June 2016 inspection, particularly on the signs of damages they noticed that prompted them to declare the structure as unsafe.

In making the request, Guardo cited Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code of 1991) which states that it is the local government units’ responsibility to ensure the health and safety of its constituents and the people residing within its territorial jurisdiction.

He said that pursuant to Article 482 of the New Civil Code of the Philippines, if the building, wall, column, or any other construction is in danger of falling, “the owner of the ruinous building shall be obliged to demolish or execute the necessary work in order to prevent it from falling.”

After inspecting the condominium last June, OBO and GSO said that the building’s plumbing system was damaged and should be condemned, the water tanks on the roof deck were dilapidated and the cisterns were no longer functioning, the doors were damaged, there were cranks on both the interior and exterior surfaces of the walls, and the façade and the back part of the building are now already detached from the structure.

The findings were contained in a report submitted to the office of Councilor Margarita Osmeña, who was the acting mayor at that time.

It was recommended in the report that occupants vacate the building as it was already “unlivable.”

The copy of the approved resolution was furnished to the office of the mayor, GSO, OBO, PICE and Department of Engineering and Public Works. (FREEMAN)