Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. requested Cebu City offices to review building-safety enforcement and earthquake readiness following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake off Sarangani on June 8, 2026.
Alcover asked the Office of the Building Official to submit a comprehensive report detailing its structural safety inspections, compliance enforcement, gaps, and proposed remedies.
Emergency response agencies were requested to report on their disaster preparedness capabilities, including rescue equipment, personnel, communication systems, and overall operational readiness.
CEBU City Government offices have been asked to review building-safety enforcement and earthquake-response readiness after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off Sarangani and caused damage in General Santos City and other parts of Mindanao on Monday, June 8, 2026.
In a privilege speech during the City Council’s regular session on Tuesday, June 9, Councilor Pastor “Jun” Alcover Jr. called for an assessment of buildings across the city to determine if they are sound enough to withstand a strong earthquake.
“The question before us today is both simple and profound: If a magnitude 7.8 earthquake were to strike Cebu City today, are we prepared?” Alcover said.
Building checks
Alcover asked the Office of the Building Official (OBO), through the Office of the City Mayor, to submit a report on how it enforces structural safety standards and ensures building compliance in Cebu City.
The OBO evaluates applications and issues building and occupancy permits. Its engineers inspect structures during and after construction to verify that these are safe for occupancy and comply with structural standards.
Alcover said the devastation in General Santos City should remind local governments to strengthen disaster preparedness, adding that emergency response must be matched by stricter attention to the structural integrity of buildings.
“In the aftermath of every major earthquake, investigations often reveal that casualties and property damage are aggravated by structural deficiencies, substandard construction, or the failure to strictly enforce building regulations,” he said.
Request for reports
Alcover requested the OBO report to cover structural safety inspections, measures adopted to ensure building safety, enforcement gaps and proposed remedies.
He also sought reports from the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the City Rescue Unit and other emergency response agencies on their disaster preparedness capabilities, including rescue equipment, personnel, communication systems and operational readiness.
Preparedness call
Alcover said the city should not wait for a catastrophe to expose weaknesses in its systems.
“We cannot afford to wait for a catastrophic earthquake to expose weaknesses in our emergency response systems. Preparedness today will determine how many lives we can save tomorrow,” he said. / JUSTIN JOHN BUGTAI, CNU INTERN
