The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has ordered all building engineers and municipal engineers across the country to conduct structural integrity assessment of all private and government-owned buildings following the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit the country on Wednesday, July 27.

In a memorandum issued by the DPWH National Building Code and Development Office (NBCDO), building and municipal engineers in typhoon affected areas were tasked to inspect if the tremor caused damage on the buildings and at the same time, check the vulnerability of the buildings to seismic activities.

“Building engineers and municipal engineers were instructed to conduct inspection and assessment of public and private buildings especially concerning any noted structural injury due to earthquake, especially critical damage to major structural components,” said DPWH Sec. Manuel M. Bonoan

For areas outside the areas hit by the Wednesday quake, Bonoan said building and municipal engineers were tasked to conduct structural integrity of the private and government-owned buildings against strong quakes and the compliance to the provision of the National Building Code of the Philippines.

This includes installation and operation of earthquake measuring instrumentation.

Bonoan said that once damage was observed due to the earthquake or the assessment conducted would reveal that the structural integrity is compromised for any strong quake, remedial measures must immediately be done for the safety of the public.

In its report as of Thursday, the DPWH said the cost of damage to national roads and bridges of the Wednesday quake was at almost P400 million.

Hundreds of houses and establishments, especially in Northern Luzon, also sustained cracks due to the strong quake.

Bonoan said he expects all building engineers and municipal engineers to submit a comprehensive report on their assessment in the soonest possible time.