Lack of personnel prevents OBO from inspecting bldgs

CEBU, Philippines - Lack of technical personnel prevented the Cebu City Hall’s Office of Building Official from properly doing its functions, especially the inspection of buildings in the city to ensure they are safe during calamities.

There are thousands of buildings and other structures in the city that need to be inspected but OBO chief Josefa Ylanan explained she lacks of personnel to do it.

DPWH Secretary Rogelio Singson had issued memorandum orders to building officials of all local government units who issued building and occupancy permits that they should intensify inspection of buildings, both private and government-owned, in their areas of jurisdiction.

“These building officials should continue checking the structural integrity of these buildings especially at these present times to assure public safety,” said Singson.

According to him, if it warrants immediate demolition of a building, then it should be demolished before it poses danger to the public.

In Cebu City, there are several old buildings, some of which are no longer being used in the past decades, raised fears that their structural integrity are no longer safe.

Ylanan said she wants to comply with the instructions of the DPWH and the City Council, but the problem is her office lacks the needed technical personnel.

 Every year, especially during the opening of classes, the City Council asks the OBO personnel to conduct inspections and to determine the structural integrity of school buildings and lodging housing in the city.

But their calls are often left not acted upon as OBO has only about 30 technical personnel, most of them are tasked to review the building plans of those who applied for building and occupancy permits.

Meanwhile, Singson ordered the engineers of the DPWH to continue with their inspection of national roads, tunnels, flyovers, bridges along national roads, to further assess on what works to be done to retrofit, reconstruct or undertake major repairs to improve the structural stability of these structures.

He also asked the private sector like the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) and the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines (ASEP) to participate in conducting audit of public buildings particularly school buildings, hospitals, housing projects, and other important government buildings. According to Singson if possible, audits should include thorough materials testing. — (FREEMAN)