MOST of the government buildings in Bacolod City have complied with the existing National Building Code and are stable enough to withstand strong seismic activities, an official of City Engineer’s Office (CEO) said.
Engineer Ephraim Hechanova, assistant head of CEO, said that as per public infrastructures here, the buildings abide with the existing National Building Code.
“We build standard buildings here as regards to building construction compliance. Most of our government infrastructure projects, vertical or horizontal, follow the National Building Code,” he said.
Section 301 of National Building Code (PD 1096) stated that no person, firm or corporation, including any agency or instrumentality of the government, shall construct alter, repair, convert, use, occupy, move, demolish and add any building/structure or any portion thereof or cause the same to be done without obtaining a building permit thereof from the Office of the Building Official assigned in the place where the subject building is located or to be done.
On April 23, the 6.5-magnitude earthquake that hit Eastern Samar was also felt in Bacolod City and some nearby localities in Negros Occidental.
No damage on the buildings and no injuries were reported.
Hechanova said they engaged in school building constructions, maintenance and improvement of roads, bridges and drainages among others.
He said the city government is abiding with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) specifications in building construction.
“If you are planning to construct a building, you have to apply a building permit first which requires its design, plans and specifications that will comply with the provision of the building code. We should follow the rules for the safety of everybody,” he added. (MAP)