THE Mandaue City Government has begun structural assessments and repairs at the city’s public market after visible damages were discovered, following an inspection ordered by Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano.
According to City Administrator Gonzalo “Sally” Malig-on Jr., the inspection was immediately conducted last week upon the mayor’s directive.
“Based on the mayor’s order, we conducted an immediate inspection of our market last week. The initial damage we observed was only the visible one, the canopy,” Maligon said.
However, Mayor Ouano wanted to ensure the full safety of the market structure, prompting the City to seek a second opinion from private structural engineers.
“Of course, there was a need for a second opinion. The mayor also wanted to be absolutely certain about the market’s condition, so we allowed another inspection by private structural engineers,” he explained.
During the follow-up inspection, the engineers discovered additional structural concerns.
“Another side of the market, particularly on the second floor, was found to have around three affected columns. These were not collapsed, but there were visible cracks,” Malig-on stated.
Repair timeline
A final meeting was held on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, attended by engineers and consultants to discuss the next steps for the market’s rehabilitation.
“Based on our final meeting yesterday, it was agreed that we will first shore up the cracked portions to prevent any further movement of the building. This process was originally estimated to take two weeks, but we requested to shorten it to one week,” Malig-on said.
He added that after reinforcing the cracked columns, the next step will be the removal of the damaged canopy, which is expected to take an additional two to three days.
“We are looking at a maximum timeline of one to two weeks from now to complete the repairs,” Malig-on noted.
He also said that the affected columns where cracks were found have already been vacated by vendors.
“The entire second floor remains generally safe; only that a specific portion with the cracks is currently restricted,” Malig-on assured.
Once the shoring works and canopy removal are completed, the market is expected to fully return to normal operations, he added. / ABC