Davao City steps up assessment of buildings after strong quake

The Davao City government is stepping up its assessment on the structural integrity of buildings following Sunday’s strong earthquake which hit the city and many areas in Southern Mindanao.

In its initial reports, the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said major cracks were found in some schools and establishments in the city such as the Palmetto Place Davao, Lots for Less in Barangay 74-A, Sto. Niño National High School, Davao Doctors College Building, Christian Colleges of Southeast Asia (CCSA) Campus, Center Point Overpass in Matina Crossing, Mediquest Hospital in Toril, and the Families Drug Store in Barangay 22, Boulevard.

There are also minor cracks at the SM Annex Ecoland, SMART Building in Barangay 2-A, Felcris Centrale, Women’s Building in Barangay Lizada, Queensland Hotel in Matina Aplaya, and other schools.

Mayor Inday Sara Duterte already suspended classes Monday for the safety of the school pupils and to give government engineers and building managers of private buildings to assess structures. A Force evacuation of families in heavily affected and landslide-prone areas was conducted.

City Engineer Joseph Dominic Felizarta has also advised tenants and occupants of establishments to be vigilant and coordinate with the city government if they see threatening damages in their building.

Occupants should vacate the buildings until an official report from the City Engineer’s Office or the building’s hired structural engineer declaring the buildings safe.

The city government has sent a team to render emergency medical services in Padada, Davao del Sur.

City Administrator Zuleika Lopez has advised Dabawenyos to stay alert, focused, and never panic.

“We cannot control things. They will happen as they will happen because number one, it is a course of nature, and number two, the Philippines is in the Pacific Ring of Fire, but what we can control is our behavior. We have to stay alert, we have to stay focused, and then we always have to listen to our disaster action team leaders and never to panic. As always, we have to be mindful because when there is a disaster we should never compromise our safety and most especially that of our loved ones and our family. Keep presence of mind because that is the key to survival,” Lopez said. CIO