QC inspects dorms, boarding houses

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista has ordered an inspection of all student dormitories and boarding houses in the city to ensure that the owners are complying with building safety standards.

Bautista instructed city building official Isagani Verzosa Jr. and city fire marshall Bobby Baruelo to oversee the inspection and prioritize the buildings at Barangay Krus na Ligas that reportedly serve as dormitories and boarding houses for some students from the University of the Philippines’ Diliman campus.

 “The city acknowledges the university’s need for dormitories. However, Quezon City only wants compliance with existing laws,” Bautista said.

Officials said some of the dorms are operating without a building permit, lack fire alarms and emergency lights, do not have enough fire exits and vertical ladders, and some have undersized stairwells.

“We will force the owners of these buildings to comply with safety standards set forth under the National Building Code and the Fire Code of the Philippines,” Verzosa said.