TOWN engineers and building officials in Misamis Oriental will gather Thursday, April 20, for a forum on conducting infrastructure audit and to parry the impact of calamities such as earthquakes and floods.
Provincial Engineer Lester Bolo said the forum, to be held at the Provincial Training Center, will teach engineers how to properly check the integrity of various infrastructures, such as buildings, bridges, and roads in their respective municipalities.
The gathering also aims to synchronize both the province and towns in terms of project implementation.
Bolo said they would require the town engineers to categorize the vulnerability of the structures as high, medium or low and mitigation should be indicated in the findings.
"The main objective of this forum is for us to be proactive in calamities like earthquakes, that is why we are going to capacitate them on the conduct of infrastructure audit," Bolo said.
The Provincial Engineering Office already recommended four vulnerable bridges for repair this year based on the audit conducted last 2014.
Bolo said the Provincial Government has allocated about P17 million for the bridges’ rehabilitation works which will start in June.
Bolo fears these bridges may collapse when another disaster strikes.
"Four bridges were identified as high risk and in need of repair. We are now in the process of the plans and estimates then procurement will follow then by June the implementation can begin," Bolo added.
After the forum, provincial engineers will likewise conduct infrastructure audit of all structures of the capitol compound.
Bolo said engineers are given two months to hold the inspection of structural integrity and will again convene to submit the findings and recommendations.
Governor Yevgeny Emano ordered the provincial engineering office to gather all town engineers following the Surigao quake last February.
Emano wanted to ensure that the province is prepared should tremors hit the province.