ILOILO City – Can buildings in Western Visayas withstand a 7.7 magnitude earthquake?
A recent tremor with such strength in Myanmar – which also affected Thailand and southwest China – should be an “eye opener” for local government leaders, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6. The earthquake resulted in over 1,700 deaths and 3,400 injuries.
Raul Fernandez, the OCD-6 director, emphasized the importance of strict enforcement of the Building Code, pointing out that buildings in Thailand – unlike in Myanmar – were able to withstand the strong quake, as seen in videos and photos.
“Perhaps the No. 1 lesson we can learn is that we need to ensure our buildings here are retrofitted, and for new constructions, we must strictly follow the Building Code,” Fernandez told Panay News.
He stressed that implementing such measures is possible, with the key factors being political will and public education on the importance of the Building Code, especially since the country is prone to earthquakes.
Fernandez noted that Region 6 had experienced its own historical earthquake, the 7.8 magnitude “Lady Caycay” earthquake in 1948, considered the second strongest in Philippine history.
“It’s really just about political will and educating people on the importance of safety,” Fernandez continued. “It’s crucial for our survival. Hopefully, what happened in Thailand will serve as a wake-up call, especially for our leaders — not just for government buildings but also for commercial buildings.”
Fernandez also hopes that local government units (LGUs) in the region will take the recent events in Myanmar and Thailand as a prompt to inventory buildings to ensure they meet safety standards.
He urged that even if retrofitting is not immediately feasible, strict enforcement of land use plans, particularly banning construction in hazard-prone areas, should be prioritized.
“It is not too late to act, especially since the country has advanced technology and the ability to implement regulations,” Fernandez said.
He pointed out that, in Region 6, only Iloilo City has conducted an inventory of buildings, while other LGUs have not yet done so.
The inventory is conducted every three to five years to assess and inspect all buildings constructed within that period.
In terms of response to strong earthquakes, Fernandez mentioned that the region is still in the process of preparing. Although a contingency plan has been established by the OCD-Central Office, which includes a “7.2 magnitude earthquake plan” for Metro Manila, the region’s role is to respond to affected areas in Southern Metro Manila, such as Las Piñas and Parañaque.
Fernandez explained that the region is working on improving coordination to enhance preparedness, particularly through training. He shared that only two LGUs in the region have personnel trained in Collapse Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) — Pavia, Iloilo and the provincial government of Antique.
“Once the earthquake hits Metro Manila, everyone there will be affected, and they won’t be able to mobilize for emergency response, so we will rely on regional offices. That’s what we are focusing on. Hopefully, the recent events will raise awareness, and we can strengthen support and coordination among LGUs and national government agencies,” Fernandez added.
Regarding emergency responders, Fernandez noted that, so far, only Iloilo City has such personnel in the region. He also acknowledged the lack of necessary equipment for search and rescue operations in collapsed buildings across the region.
“We don’t have enough investment in this area. As far as I know, Iloilo City is the only one fully equipped. The rest of the region lacks the necessary equipment. We really need to invest in these tools,” Fernandez said, highlighting the high costs involved in such investments./PN