IT WAS supposed to be a quiet Sunday on December 15, 2019. Families and friends would usually spend the morning at churches while others are bonding with one another.
However, that quiet afternoon took an unexpected change when a strong 6.9 magnitude quake struck Padada, Davao del Sur. The earthquake was felt in neighboring areas. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the shaking that was felt in Davao City was an Intensity V.
Similar to the earthquakes that struck Cotabato province in October, the earthquake on Sunday also resulted in damaged structures, injured individuals, and even deaths.
The towns of Padada and Matanao in Davao del Sur were greatly affected following the earthquake.
In a report of the Philippine Information Agency in Davao Region (PIA-Davao), Matanao Mayor Vincent Fernandez said almost all the 33 barangays in the municipality reported that their barangay halls, gyms, health centers, and some houses have collapsed.
Likewise, buildings in Padada also collapse. Most notable is the Southern Trade Commercial store where two bodies have already been retrieved. With a couple more feared to be inside.
While the Davao Region is rarely visited by typhoons, it is not spared from the dangers brought by the earthquakes, which may strike anytime. This is a reality we have to face and understand.
However, for some reason, real estate developers and probably some government officials have forgotten about the building standards. They may have also ignored warning signs in the past or may have opted to use substandard or cheaper materials instead. Hence, what we are seeing right now.
This is not the first time the Davao Region will experience an earthquake.
In June this year, Phivolcs announced that 60 barangays in Davao City are sitting on the Central Davao Fault System, which can trigger a magnitude 6 earthquake or stronger.
The fault system has five segments: Tamugan Fault with 25 kilometers (km) length and can produce 6.7-magnitude earthquake; Lacson Fault with 33 km and can trigger a 6.8-magnitude quake; 18-kilometer Dacudao Fault with 6.5-magnitude quake; Pangyan-Biao with 33 km and 6.8-magnitude quake; and the 12-kilometer New Carmen Fault that may cause a 6.3-magnitude earthquake.
It is time for the city government to strengthen its implementation of the building standards in the city to ensure the safety of those living here. If it does not, then people will get injured or die due to weak buildings collapsing during an earthquake.
Dabawenyos too have to always be ready in responding to earthquakes. They can start by ensuring that their homes are structurally safe. They can also prepare their emergency bags, just to be ready for any event.
Earthquakes are unpredictable, despite claims of some that they can predict it. Because of this uncertainty, we should always be ready for whatever may happen in the future.