THE Quimonda I.T. Center, which currently houses the Cebu City courts, has been declared “risky” following a joint structural assessment conducted by the Office of the Building Official (OBO), the City Engineering Department, the building’s private engineers, and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
Cebu City Councilor Dave Tumulak, who chairs the city’s disaster council, said the team has recommended the immediate evacuation of all offices and occupants from the building to allow for major repair works to begin as soon as possible.
“For everyone’s safety, especially our clients, lawyers, judges, and staff, we are advising that the entire premises be vacated while repairs are being carried out,” Tumulak said.
He added that while the building’s condition is still considered repairable, extensive work will be needed to restore its structural integrity.
The rehabilitation is expected to take around three months.
Court hearings, meanwhile, will temporarily shift online through videoconferencing to prevent disruption of judicial services.
Tumulak said that although the damage was worsened by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30, cracks and fallen debris had already been observed in parts of the building even before the quake.
These earlier signs, he said, may have been caused by previous disasters, underscoring the need for a more thorough structural investigation.
“Even without an earthquake, the building could move unexpectedly. That’s why we need a comprehensive evaluation to ensure everyone’s safety,” he said.
The Quimonda I.T. Center, located along Don Sergio Osmeña Avenue in the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City, has served as the temporary home of Cebu City’s courts since the 2013 earthquake damaged the Marcelo Fernan Palace of Justice. (CAV)