QUAKE DAMAGE. Sarangani Gov. Ruel Pacquiao (3rd from right) inspects a house in Malapatan, Sarangani on Sunday (Nov. 19, 2023), a couple of days after it collapsed during Friday’s magnitude 6.8 earthquake. Lawmakers on Monday (Nov. 20, 2023) filed House Resolution 1476 seeking an inquiry into the standard of public structures and public works in the wake of the powerful quake that struck southern Mindanao. (Photo from Saranggani PIO Facebook page)
MANILA – Lawmakers have filed House Resolution No. 1476 seeking an inquiry into the standard of public structures and public works following a magnitude 6.8 earthquake that hit southern Mindanao on Nov. 17.
“According to police officers and rescue workers in the affected provinces, the injuries and casualties following the earthquake were due to falling debris and structures, and collapsed concrete and steel works, among other causes,” based on the resolution by House Deputy Majority Leader Erwin Tulfo, his ACT-CIS Party-list colleagues and lawmakers on Monday.
Tulfo visited earthquake-stricken areas and saw how the tremor inflicted damage on some substandard infrastructures, revealing vulnerabilities in construction and highlighting the urgent need for improved resilience measures.
“Upon inspection of infrastructure facilities after the quake, sustainable damages were also found in several roads, bridges, ports, and other public works, including a partially submerged fish port in the Municipality of Glan, Sarangani,” the resolution read.
“Such sustainable damages and their corresponding fatal repercussions to the public give rise to questions on the standard of public infrastructure in the country and the regulation of the same by relevant government agencies,” it added.
Tulfo said there is an urgent need to ensure that the repair, replacement, or development of damaged public infrastructure “and works must be completed timely but not at the risk of substandard quality.”
Other authors of the resolution are ACT-CIS party-list Reps. Edvic Yap and Jocelyn Tulfo, and Benguet Rep. Eric Yap and Quezon City 2nd District Rep. Ralph Tulfo. (PNA)
