Surigao del Sur 1st district Rep. Romeo Momo Sr. is urging Malacañang to promptly certify as urgent the passage of the proposed new Philippine Building Act (PBA) following the widespread damage caused to infrastructure by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that rocked Sarangani and its nearby provinces.

Momo, the primary author of House Bill (HB) No. 6615, stressed the need to pass the measure immediately in light of the concerns caused among Filipinos by the strong tremblor down south.

“Oftentimes, we never know when the next earthquake will strike. It would be to Filipino people’s advantage if we are prepared to withstand its impact,” said the House Committee on Public Works and Highways chairman.

“I am from Mindanao and my province was even among the areas affected by the earthquake. It pains me to see some of my fellow Mindanaoans, specially children, terrified by the tremors and by the destruction. The government must do all it can to make its people feel safe,” he added.

An engineer by profession and advocate of safe, strong, and efficient infrastructure, Momo underscored that safety was a key facet of construction that should never be compromised.

Unfortunately, many of the provisions in the current 1977 National Building Code of the Philippines (NBCP) are already outdated, he said.

The proposed new PBA would revise the 1977 NBCP and enable government regulators to implement updated policies and guidelines.

The bill, once enacted into law, will also create stability of newly proposed or existing infrastructure against natural calamities and multiple hazards.

An example is under Section 62 of the new PBA prohibited acts are clearly defined to include unauthorized deviations from approved plans, construction beyond permitted specifications, non-compliance with structural and safety standards and violations of permits and regulatory requirements.

Momo explained that Section 62 “sends a strong message that no one is above building laws, no shortcut is worth a human life and negligence will have consequences".

The new PBA also carries a specific provision that would make the structural review of buildings every 15 years mandatory.

The measure would also ensure the standardization of building design, location, materials, and safety measures.

Momo pointed out two recent tragedies On May 14, a building still under construction collapsed in Angeles City, Pampanga, with the death toll already at 30. Meanwhile, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that happened last June 8 has claimed the lives of at least 38 people.

“Time is of the essence. With the devastation left by the Saranggani earthquake, I have high hopes that our Senate counterpart will act with dispatch in passing this law to ensure such tragedy would not happen again,” Momo said, as the measure has already been transmitted to the Senate in December last year.

“The sense of urgency to pass the new Philippine Building Act is never more felt than now, so that never again will Filipinos have to dig through the rubble to find the cost of inaction” the veteran solon stressed.