CEBU, Philippines — A school building with three rooms at the Busay Elementary School in Busay, Cebu City had been recommended for rehabilitation together with the retaining wall nearby after minor cracks were found in its series of inspections.
Acting upon the request of the barangay and the school officials to check the school after Busay had been tagged as highly susceptible to landslide, City Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the committee on infrastructure, returned to the barangay together with structural engineers and other concerned agencies for a thorough inspection.
The building that was identified earlier that has no drainage around remains stable, but a proper drainage system will have to be built around it so that water flow will have a direction.
So far, only one building in the school had been recommended by structural engineers for rehabilitation, Guardo said.
“Daghan ning mga buildings diri and katong naay usa ka concern sa MGB na portion, drainage lay kuwang ato, and uban, safe and sound ra gyud siya and ang worry lang, is kaning sa isa ka building sa elementary school nga naay tulo ka classrooms, there were manifestation of cracks in the wall, but ang structure niya, lig-on pa man siya, but kailangan lang e-rehabilitate for enforcement..dili ta maghuwat na mudako ang cracks,” Guardo said.
Engineer Danny Richard Urot of the Department of Engineering and Public Works-Construction Services agreed with Guardo saying, they have to act on it now than be sorry.
“As of now, it’s okay..but if magsigeg kadako ng cracks…let’s not want na mo fail na siya,” said Urot.
At the back of the building is a retaining wall that also needs to be rehabilitated while the city disaster team will be asked to clear some leaning trees that may cause pressure to the building.
“Once rehabilitation is ongoing, there will be temporary closure sa building,” Guardo said.
Urot said it will probably take two months for the rehabilitation of the concerned building.
Evacuation
In the town of Barili, southern Cebu, at least 30 families are advised to evacuate due to continued soil movement in one mountain barangay.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) made an assessment on January 12 this year in the said area and found some cracks in some portions of upper Barangay Maigang in the town which affects at least 32 to 40 households.
The ground movement was believed because of the non-stop rains experienced in the area from the first days of January this year.
“It has been observed in this area that the water runoff coming from higher ground will going directly to concrete road (without drainage) and do not allow the water to soak to the ground which may cause many cumulative impacts to human and the environment including flooding, damage to public and private property eroded streambanks,” read part of the assessment of PDRRMO.
The office showed photos of the big cracks seen in the area.
The PDRRMO alerted the residents of these movements as the area is prone to landslide, advising them to evacuate. — Le Phyllis F. Antojado-Orillaneda, GMR (FREEMAN)