THE Mandaue City Government is set to demolish a Mandaue City Central School building that was found unsafe following a series of inspections conducted in the aftermath of recent earthquakes that hit the city.
According to Engr. Crystal C. Comon, head of the Office of the Building Official, most of the schools inspected were declared safe and structurally sound, except for a few that sustained significant damage.
“So far, we only have a few remaining areas left to revisit for inspection. We made sure to return only to those that were severely damaged,” Comon said.
“But generally, our schools are safe except for those with evident structural issues. We have already recommended retrofitting works under the engineering’s Program of Works and Estimates. We also forwarded our reports after the aftershocks for further information and validation. The remaining inspections are just to ensure the safety of our students before classes resume,” she added.
City Administrator Gonzalo “Sally” Malig-on confirmed that only two schools, Mandaue City Central School and Looc Elementary School, were found to have major structural problems.
“The main concern really is the Mandaue City Central School and the Looc Elementary School,” Malig-on said.
“The Mandaue City Central School will definitely be demolished, while the Looc Elementary School will remain under observation because its building was found to be tilting. However, upon review, it was determined that the tilt had already existed even before the earthquake. That’s why the engineering team will continue to observe it monthly to determine if the tilt worsens even without any earthquake activity,” he said.
He added that no definite recommendation has yet been made for Looc Elementary School pending further observation, but for now, the building is not being used for classes.
“As for the Mandaue City Central School, the engineering office already recommended its demolition based on the structural assessment,” he said. “They are now in the process of securing a demolition permit since you cannot proceed with demolition without one.”
Malig-on also acknowledged the challenge of funding the repairs and demolition due to the city’s limited budget, particularly the deficit in the Special Education Fund. However, he expressed gratitude that several private groups have already offered to help.
“Mayor Thadeo Jovito ‘Jonkie’ Ouano is very thankful because there are private companies that have expressed their willingness to assist,” Malig-on said.
“Even if there were no formal requests made for private sector assistance yet, it is heartening to see groups voluntarily offering to help. We are fortunate that the damage was not widespread, because finding funds for these repairs would have been very difficult,” he added.
He also said that while the demolition of Mandaue City Central School is being prioritized, minor repairs in other schools are already being planned.
“Other schools with minor damages are being repaired, but we are still identifying possible sources of funding for those works. For now, our priority is to demolish the Mandaue City Central School since the other schools can still continue operations safely after minor repairs,” he said.
Comon emphasized that the inspections were done thoroughly to guarantee the safety of both students and school personnel.
“We are making sure that when classes resume, our learners and teachers can go back to a safe environment,” she said.
The Mandaue City Government continues to coordinate with the Department of Education and private partners to ensure that all schools affected by the earthquake are properly assessed, repaired, or reconstructed, prioritizing the welfare and safety of the city’s students. (ABC)