DPWH: Over 21,000 public buildings assessed for 'The Big One' preps

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has assessed more than 21,000 public buildings in preparation for the "The Big One"—a 7.2-magnitude earthquake or stronger—which may hit the country.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, DPWH Undersecretary Catalina Cabral said many of these buildings need retrofitting.

"As of today po, nakapag-assess na kami ng more than 21,000 public buildings, at marami rito ay irerekomenda namin for retrofitting. Pero mayroon na rin kaming natapos na retrofitting. Ang ibig lang sabihin ng retrofitting ay iakyat ang kaniyang standard para sa international earthquake standards," Cabral said.

(As of today, we have assessed more than 21,000 public buildings. We have recommended retrofitting for many of these, although we have completed some of these needed works. Retrofitting means making the structures compliant with international earthquake standards.)

"But ang sinasabi po namin sa DPWH, tuloy-tuloy po ang programa, at hindi lang po iyong mga buildings kung hindi pati mga tulay. Importante po iyong mga tulay especially in Metro Manila kasi very important po ang National Capital Region to the economy," she added.

(But as we say in DPWH, our program is continuous—not just for buildings, but also for bridges. These bridges, especially in Metro Manila, are very important because the National Capital Region is vital to the economy.)

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) earlier said the Philippines must catch up on its preparations to survive a magnitude-7.2 or stronger earthquake similar to the one that devastated Myanmar and Thailand last week and left thousands of people dead.

Aid groups described scenes of devastation and desperation in the aftermath of the magnitude-7.7 earthquake in central Myanmar as the death toll is expected to surpass 3,000, having reached 2,719 as of Tuesday morning, with 4,521 people injured, and 441 missing.

State seismologists and disaster management officials often talk about the threat of "The Big One" since such an event could affect Metro Manila the worst because of its proximity to the West Valley Fault System.

Over the weekend, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) warned that "The Big One" and resulting fires may cause in more than 50,000 deaths and over 100,000 injured in Metro Manila and nearby areas.

While earthquakes are impossible to predict, based on historical records, the West Valley Fault along the eastern side of Metro Manila is due for a major quake "within our generation or the next generation."

The country has six other active trenches which cause frequent earthquakes in Abra, Bohol, and Davao region. — VDV, GMA Integrated News