Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Repairs needed after quake damaged P22.7M CPA bldg.
CRACKS and leaks were discovered inside the two-year-old Cebu Port Authority (CPA) building, which the Bureau of Customs (BOC) is currently using.
In a letter to CPA General Manager Angelo Verdan, District Collector Ricardo Belmonte said that after the earthquake last Nov. 7, the building now poses danger to everyone because of cracked floors and walls and leakages on the ceiling.
Findings
A CPA team composed of Jose Sullano, planning and monitoring division manager; Sofronio Mag-dadaro, construction and maintenance division manager; and Alberto Wong, construction foreman, inspected the building.
In the inspection report to Verdan dated Nov. 9, they submitted the following findings:
* There are two visible parallel cracks at the surface of second floor slabs, but no serious disintegration of concrete was noted.
* Cracks on concrete hollow blocks walls at the second floor where the district collector is holding office are also visible.
* Overflow on gutter during heavy rain was noted as evidenced by some damaged portions of plywood ceilings.
The team recommended injecting concrete epoxy inside the cracks to prevent penetration of moistures to the reinforcement. The gutters including downspouts should be cleared periodically to maintain the free flow of water.
The team also suggested an immediate inspection by a structural engineer to ascertain the structural stability of the building.
Another inspection
Shirley Abarintos, deputy district collector for administration, believed that a substandard roofing job, and not only clogging, is the cause of water overflow.
Arneth Manquiquis and Bebie Tan of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service said water overflow has damaged their files.
“We already scheduled another inspection of the building by experts,” Verdan said.
The CPA spent P22.7 million for the building while the BOC has spent more than P1 million for its power connections.
Verdan said the P22.7 million total cost included variations such as, but not limited to, installation of partition as requested by then district collector Ma. Lourdes
Mangaoang, additional rebars and an upgrading of main electrical feeder cables and accessories from Visayan Electric Company.
“The basic cost was P20.5 million including demolition of original building,” Verdan said.
The building was constructed during the time of general manager Mariano C.J. Martinez. (EOB)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (November 11, 2007 issue)
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