CAGAYAN de Oro City Councilor George Goking has urged the business sector to ensure their buildings are safe for use after the earthquake swarm felt in Mindanao.
Goking, chairperson of the committee on trade and industry, said he wants to know if all buildings in Cagayan de Oro are still stable after the earthquakes, and if some buildings which cracked have already been repaired by its owners.
Goking said he is concerned after learning that the YMCA building which houses the Court of Appeals-Mindanao Station is unsafe for occupation.
"How about the other buildings within the city? Daghan man to nag crack since sa una pa lang nga linog. I asked the Oro Chamber to ask the business sector to evaluate their buildings because this matter is public safety," he said.
The councilor said he wants to prevent what happened in Padada, Davao del Sur, where four people died after being trapped in a grocery store due to the quake.
Goking said he was concerned after the YMCA secretary-general claimed that their building is safe, contrary to a report from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).
The finding noted hairline cracks along the beams and fire wall inside the building, cold joints or a plane of weakness in the concrete were also observed. The findings said that the cracks are getting bigger from the time it was first observed.
"Thus, immediate retrofitting and/or removal and reconstruction of the slabs are necessary," the findings stated.
"The building is not safe for occupancy until all repairs are done," it added.
The City Council has directed the Office of the Building official to coordinate with the DPWH to conduct a thorough inspection of all the buildings in the city.
