In a significant move to enhance public safety, Cebu City has launched a comprehensive initiative to standardize structural assessments following recent earthquake activity. The new protocol aims to eliminate inconsistencies in building safety evaluations that have emerged across different districts.
Streamlining Safety Procedures
The Cebu City Government, through the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), is implementing a unified system for post-earthquake damage assessment. This comes as a response to varying evaluation standards being applied by different engineering groups and local government units.
Harold Alcontin, CDRRMO head, emphasized the critical need for consistency: "We're establishing clear parameters that all assessors must follow. This ensures that whether a building is in the north or south of the city, it's evaluated against the same safety standards."
Addressing Assessment Discrepancies
The initiative follows reports of buildings receiving conflicting safety ratings from different assessment teams. Some structures deemed safe by one group were simultaneously declared hazardous by another, creating confusion among property owners and tenants.
The new system will feature:
- Standardized evaluation forms and criteria
- Mandatory training for all authorized assessors
- Centralized documentation of all assessments
- Clear color-coding system for building status
Collaborative Approach
City officials are working closely with professional engineering organizations, including the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, to develop technical guidelines. The collaboration ensures that the assessment protocols meet both national standards and local structural requirements.
Councilor Jerry Guardo, chairman of the committee on infrastructure, highlighted the importance of this partnership: "By bringing together government agencies and professional engineering bodies, we're creating a system that property owners can trust completely."
Implementation Timeline
The standardized assessment program will roll out in phases over the coming weeks. Priority will be given to areas most affected by recent seismic activity, with full implementation expected across all Cebu City districts by the end of the quarter.
Property owners are encouraged to contact the CDRRMO for information about the new assessment process and to schedule evaluations for structures that may have been compromised during recent earthquake events.
