Owner of collapsed Kidapawan hotel gets 'ultimatum'
Published Nov 17, 2019 05:20 pm
By Malu Cadelina Manar
KIDAPAWAN CITY – Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista has given the management of the hotel that collapsed during last month’s quake an "ultimatum" to start the demolition of their structure.
Eva's Hotel stands damaged after a strong earthquake in Kidapawan, north Cotabato, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019. (AP Photos/Williamor Magbanua / MANILA BULLETIN)
Evangelista said while the hotel is still "standing" along the highway, it poses risks, hazard, and danger to structures near it, including the Kidapawan Doctors Hospital, Inc. and few residential houses.
“What we consider primarily in this plan is the general welfare and the business interests of those structures near the hotel,” he added.
“Hindi lang Eva’s Hotel ang dapat tingnan, including the general welfare. Pati mga dumadaan dyan and the right of business establishments and residential houses na malapit. Hangga’t nandyan yan, nakasara ang mga building o mga tindahan. Pag nakasara, walang trabaho. At pag walang trabaho, walang makain ang pamilya ng mga empleyado,” the mayor explained.
But Evangelista opposed the use of explosives in tearing down the damaged structure.
“No. That kind of demolition is only used in the US or in advanced countries. We can’t do that here,” he said.
The demolition, instead, would be done floor-by-floor and could continue for the next three months, he said.
He also allayed fears of the public that there were people who died during the quake following reports of “rotten” smell in the building.
“We have no reports from our local police that there are missing people or those who have worked with the hotel have perished in the fall. Though, at this time, we still can’t get inside. Maybe, after everything has been completed, we will know where that stinking smell is coming from,” he said.
The mayor has created a task force to oversee the demolition, which should start, “as soon as possible.”
The task force is composed of the Office of the Building Official, the City Engineering Office, personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways, and members of the Structural Engineers Association of the Philippines.
READ MORE: 3rd strong quake jolts Mindanao
Eva's Hotel stands damaged after a strong earthquake in Kidapawan, north Cotabato, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2019. (AP Photos/Williamor Magbanua / MANILA BULLETIN)
Evangelista said while the hotel is still "standing" along the highway, it poses risks, hazard, and danger to structures near it, including the Kidapawan Doctors Hospital, Inc. and few residential houses.
“What we consider primarily in this plan is the general welfare and the business interests of those structures near the hotel,” he added.
“Hindi lang Eva’s Hotel ang dapat tingnan, including the general welfare. Pati mga dumadaan dyan and the right of business establishments and residential houses na malapit. Hangga’t nandyan yan, nakasara ang mga building o mga tindahan. Pag nakasara, walang trabaho. At pag walang trabaho, walang makain ang pamilya ng mga empleyado,” the mayor explained.
But Evangelista opposed the use of explosives in tearing down the damaged structure.
“No. That kind of demolition is only used in the US or in advanced countries. We can’t do that here,” he said.
The demolition, instead, would be done floor-by-floor and could continue for the next three months, he said.
He also allayed fears of the public that there were people who died during the quake following reports of “rotten” smell in the building.
“We have no reports from our local police that there are missing people or those who have worked with the hotel have perished in the fall. Though, at this time, we still can’t get inside. Maybe, after everything has been completed, we will know where that stinking smell is coming from,” he said.
The mayor has created a task force to oversee the demolition, which should start, “as soon as possible.”
The task force is composed of the Office of the Building Official, the City Engineering Office, personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways, and members of the Structural Engineers Association of the Philippines.
READ MORE: 3rd strong quake jolts Mindanao