Public safety experts, engineers ask solons to amend nat’l building code

By Ben Serrano,
Correspondent

SURIGAO City — A group of public safety experts and structural engineer volunteers yesterday claimed it is about time to revisit the National Building Code by amending it for good saying the correct implementation of the building code either for government and private construction because of so many requirements which makes the system vulnerable to corruption.

“The National Building Code (RA 654) was enacted in 1972, four years after a disastrous 6.8-magnitude earthquake that toppled down Ruby Tower in Manila and killed more than 200 people and injured more than 300 others happened. Since then we have not learned our lessons yet,” the Volunteers for Public Safety Philippines said in a statements.

The group is composed of geodetic, electrical, civil engineers, and architects and is represented by its officers Ruby Reyes, Nathaniel Evasco, and Jonathan Tolentino.

“While we agree that construction is business and professionals involved in the industry needs income too, the sad thing is that because of the messy regulation, massive requirements in getting even fire safety clearances in to each of its own manipulation and strategy it compromised also safety millions of Filipinos especially climate change is right here now in our very noses,” the group said.

They alleged almost all of government infrastructures like bridges, dams, school buildings, office buildings, and even private homes, commercial establishments in Caraga Region cannot pass quality but fool-proof independent seismic test therefore it has compromised safety of the public.

“It is very difficult to accept but this is the reality right now not only here in Caraga region but in the entire country,” the group lamented.