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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Yamsuan tells LGUs to conduct regular building inspections after deadly Binondo blaze

Yamsuan tells LGUs to conduct regular building inspections after deadly Binondo blaze

Published Aug 6, 2024 09:08 am

At A Glance

  • Following Friday's deadly Binondo fire, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan called on local government units (LGUs) to conduct regular building inspections to ensure the public's safety.

FB_IMG_1684229002823.jpgBicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Yamsuan (Facebook)

Following Friday’s deadly Binondo fire, Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan called on local government units (LGUs) to conduct regular building inspections to ensure the public's safety.

“We are urging all LGUs to conduct regular inspections of buildings, especially old structures, in coordination with the local offices of the BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) to ensure that these are safe for all occupants,” Yamsuan said in a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

According to the BFP, 11 persons died from the fire that broke out at an old residential-commercial building in Manila’s Binondo district.

The victims were reportedly trapped inside the five-story building after they failed to escape via the windows that were shut and welded with iron grills. The building also has limited entrances and exits.

“Napakalungkot ang trahedyang nangyari sa Binondo at tayo ay nakikiramay sa pamilya ng mga nasawi sa sunog. Hindi dapat ipagwalambahala ang kaligtasan lalo na pagdating sa pagpapatayo ng anumang istruktura,” said Yamsuan.

(The tragedy that happened in Binondo is very sad and we condole with the families of those who perished in the fire. Safety should not be neglected especially when it comes to the construction of any structure.)

The Binondo fire was one of the deadliest to hit Metro Manila since the Kentex factory blaze in Valenzuela City, which killed 74 people in 2015.

To prevent a repeat of the deadly tragedy, Yamsuan is pushing for the swift approval of House Bill (HB) No. 8500, which embodies the proposed New Building Act.

The bill aims to repeal the National Building Code—considered by experts as obsolete—to impose more stringent measures on the design, construction, and maintenance of buildings to ensure the safety of occupants against fire and other hazards.

“It will help safeguard lives and minimize risks from disasters,” the lawmaker added.

The bill would institutionalize the mandatory assessment of structures over 15 years old to ensure that it is still up to standards.

It also states that clearances on structural stability and fire safety construction shall be a prerequisite for the issuance of renewal of business permits or permits to operate, for new occupancy or occupancy after 15 years from date of completion of the building or structure.

HB No. 8500, which Yamsuan authored, was passed on third and final reading by the House of Representatives in August last year.

Several counterpart measures are currently pending in the Senate.

Related Tags

Binondo Manila Brian Raymund Yamsuan Binondo fire Building inspection
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