EARTHQUAKE preparedness must be more than a slogan in a region like Western Visayas where the West Panay Fault and the Negros Trench lurk beneath our feet. It must be a standard, rigorously upheld by every local government unit (LGU).
There have been repeated warnings from scientists, including Department of Science and Technology secretary Renato Solidum Jr. But do LGUs really enforce even the most basic provisions of the National Building Code?
Earthquakes do not kill people — collapsing buildings do. And when structures fail, accountability rests not only with the builders and engineers but also with the local governments that issued the permits, conducted (or neglected) inspections, and certified compliance. When LGUs treat building safety as a mere paperwork exercise, they gamble with lives.
In Iloilo, for instance, the steady rise of high-rise developments and commercial complexes should come with equally strong assurance of compliance. But how confident is the Ilonggo public that no substandard materials are used, that oversight is strong and consistent, and that structural audits are actually done strictly?
The 1948 Lady Caycay earthquake, which jolted towns across Panay Island, should have been a permanent reminder of what happens when safety is compromised. But our memories — and our vigilance — fade too quickly.
LGUs must embrace their role as the front line of defense against disaster. That means ensuring that no building permit is issued without full compliance with engineering standards, and that periodic inspections are conducted with integrity and transparency. This also means taking stock of old structures — schools, hospitals, government offices — and prioritizing retrofitting to meet modern safety benchmarks. These steps are moral obligations.
Local accountability also extends to leadership. Mayors and building officials must understand that safety enforcement is not an inconvenience to development — it is the foundation of it. The people entrust them not only with governance but with their very lives when the ground shakes. To neglect this duty is to betray that trust.
True resilience begins at the local level, in every municipal hall that approves a plan, in every engineer who signs off a design, and in every inspector who dares to uphold standards even when pressured not to. Western Visayas cannot afford complacency.
