TAGBILARAN CITY, (PNA) — President Benigno S. Aquino III asked the people of Bohol to contact their local officials if they notice defects in structures following a strong earthquake that hit the province.
“You can contact your LGU and have an assessment kung may duda kayo, kung may napansin kayong cracks. You lead our investigators, give them the clues,” the President said during a briefing with government agencies here in Bohol on Wednesday.
If the people doubt the structural integrity of a building, they must inform the experts so the government could focus on the most critical structures.
The President also asked the Department of Public Works and Highways to coordinate with the Provincial Engineering Office—the local engineering centers to make sure that all structures are checked.
The newest Building Code was implemented in 2010, mandating for the ability for new buildings to withstand magnitude 7.2 earthquakes, he said. But the problem is the older buildings.
There is a procedure called retrofitting to make them compliant on a performance basis with the Building Code and basically to ensure their safety, he stressed.