- DILG XI to institutionalize infrastructure audits to mitigate quake impacts
THE DEPARTMENT of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) XI plans to institutionalize a rigorous infrastructure auditing program to mitigate casualties and property damage ahead of projected high-magnitude earthquakes in Mindanao.
Henry Villanueva, Engineer III at the DILG XI Project Development Management Unit, said the initiative aligns with the department’s role as vice chair for disaster preparedness at the national level.
The agency is currently collaborating with academic institutions, including the University of Mindanao and Ateneo de Davao University, to roll out specialized training programs for civil engineers and local building auditors.
Following an initial training phase last month, DILG XI has scheduled a targeted training session from August 25 to 27 for LGU engineers who will head the building inspection teams.
“Yung na-train namin na engineers as focal, kasama dun sa mga team nila, i-train din namin locally dun sa LGUs mismo para makita nila yung mga minimum at basic requirements para makita yung ano ang dapat gawin kung sa isang building kung merong problema,” Villanueva told reporters during Kapehan sa Davao on Monday, July 13.
The trained engineers will serve as regional focal persons to instruct local teams on basic structural safety requirements.
The program stemmed from growing concerns over seismic vulnerabilities in the region, and while Metro Manila frequently prepares for “The Big One,” the DILG warned that a potential “Bigger One” or “Biggest One” will hit Mindanao.
Villanueva referenced the past 7.8-magnitude quake in Davao Oriental and Cotabato, and the recent June 8 earthquake offshore Sarangani, which claimed several lives due to a distinct lack of structural preparedness.
The official added that the infra audit aims to pinpoint buildings susceptible to collapses at Intensities 7 and 8, and to prioritize critical public facilities for engineering interventions like retrofitting.
“Makita na namin after the audit kung sa ganitong klaseng lindol ilan ba yung building mag-collapse, then yung mga highly essential facilities i-re-recommend namin na i-retrofit kung talagang mababa yung quality. Ito yung mga program na pino-focus namin ngayon sa DILG,” he said.
DILG- XI is coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways, the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines, and various civil engineering societies for the updating of guidelines.
He said that following the infra audit, the audit findings will be reintegrated into updated national building codes and push for local ordinances, including building geo-tagging, to legally mandate retrofitting.
When asked about non-compliance of local government units, he said that the agency is discussing specific provisions to ensure strict compliance with audit recommendations.
The agency aims to fully transition from regional capacity-building to actual local deployment within the year to ensure local assessment teams are equipped to audit their respective municipalities.
