The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) launched the “Infrastructure Audit (IA)” program to assess critical infrastructure owned by local government units (LGUs) nationwide.

In a statement on Friday, Aug. 8, the DILG explained that the program seeks to further strengthen disaster preparedness among the LGUs as it will target densely populated areas located on active fault lines.

“The program aims to standardize assessment of local public infrastructure using the harmonized IA tool developed with national and local government agencies and stakeholders,” the DILG expounded.

Given the broad scope of the audit, the DILG stressed that focus will be trained towards LGU-owned and key public buildings that deliver essential services such as hospitals, school buildings, government offices and emergency response facilities. 

However, the DILG explained that the audit will exclude privately-owned buildings not providing essential services, residential properties, and buildings owned by the national government.

The audit findings will be compiled into an integrated DILG-managed database, serving as a resource for risk assessment, planning, and policy development at both national and local levels. 

The DILG called on the LGUs to establish audit teams chaired by their local chief executives (LCE) and composed of key local functionaries and a civil society representative with engineering expertise.  

Likewise, the DILG regional offices were directed to establish Local Infrastructure Learning Hubs (LILHubs) to support LGU audit teams, involving regional agencies, engineering associations, academic institutions, and private sector partners.  

“Audit cycles will vary by infrastructure type: every five years for government and emergency facilities, every three years for essential services (e.g., health, education, markets), and annually for national or world cultural relics (churches and museums),” the DILG maintained. 

In the wake of a major earthquake, the DILG pointed out that the LGUs must conduct immediate damage assessments in accordance with Republic Act No. 10121, an act strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System.

Through its Project Development Services and Regional Offices, the DILG will monitor implementation, provide technical assistance, and maintain a web-based system to track audit data and share information on infrastructure resilience.