Binondo street caves in; residents fear soil won't hold high-rises

MANILA, Philippines - A portion of a street in Binondo, Manila caved in yesterday, causing heavy traffic in the area and making residents fear more streets would collapse if more high-rise buildings are built in the area.

The collapsed portion of Meisic street, measuring 10 meters long and two meters wide, was allegedly caused by the digging of a foundation for a high-rise twin-tower commercial and residential building at the corner of Meisic and Sta. Elena streets in Binondo.

No one was reported injured in the incident. Police immediately sealed off the area against motorists and pedestrians.

High-rise buildings are currently being constructed on Meisic, Sta. Elena, Roman and Felipe streets in Binondo, aside from the 168 Mall. Residents fear the ground under these streets would not be able hold the future “towers,” arguing that Binondo was once a marshy area with loose and sandy soil.   

Meisic police station chief Superintendent Nelson Yabut said he was told by Michael Moises, safety engineer of Monolith Construction and Development Corp., which is building the twin towers, “the drainage made from reinforced concrete pipe placed under the road had leaks that soften the soil.”

“The hole was reinforced on the sides by steel sheets. But apparently the continuous digging let loose the porous soil resulting in the caving in of the affected portion of the street,” Yabut said.

A representative of the Manila City Engineer’s Office inspected the buildings around the construction site, especially the century-old Chinese school Philippine Tiong Se Academy located along Roman and Sta. Elena streets which is just across the damaged street. Initial inspection showed no visible cracks or fissures were found.

However, officials of the Philippine Tiong Se Academy expressed fears on the safety condition of their building if the excavation will go on. The school is scheduled to open on June 8.

Police directed vendors and motorists to temporarily stay away from Sta. Elena street near the construction site pending clearance from the City Engineer’s Office.