The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) called on the local government units (LGUs) nationwide to conduct comprehensive infrastructure audit on public and private buildings to prepare for high-magnitude earthquake threats.

Stressing its urgency, the DILG explained that assessing the structural integrity of buildings is crucial to ensure public safety and reduce the risk of casualties and damage during major seismic events. 

Beyond auditing key public facilities such as hospitals, schools, government offices, and emergency response centers, the DILG has targeted to further improve the infrastructure audit system to include privately-owned structures.

“With the increasing frequency and intensity of earthquakes, proactive preparedness is our best defense,” the DILG said. 

“Through harmonized audits, stronger partnerships, and evidence-based planning, we can build safer, more resilient communities across the country,” it added.

In 2024, the DILG partnered with key government agencies and stakeholders, including the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines and the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE), to develop the Harmonized Infrastructure Audit Tool (HIAT). 

“The HIAT provides a standardized framework for evaluating building resilience and identifying potential vulnerabilities before seismic disasters,’’ the DILG said.

At present, the DILG has trained 18 high-risk LGUs from the National Capital Region (NCR), CALABARZON, and Central Luzon, areas traversed by the West Valley Fault (WVF), to carry out infrastructure audits. 

As of Oct. 15, another 12 LGUs in NCR and 20 LGUs in Cavite which are outside the WVF corridor have completed a similar training, with 10 LGUs in Central Luzon set to follow suit by the end of the month.

As part of the national roll-out, the DILG has also developed a corps of trained coaches composed of technical experts from professional organizations, academic institutions, the DILG, and local government functionaries from 74 LGUs nationwide. 

“These coaches are equipped to mentor local audit teams and cascade the use of HIAT across their respective regions,’’ it added.

The DILG also urged the private sector to partner with regional government agencies, engineering associations, and academic institutions through the local infrastructure learning hubs which will be established by the department's regional offices. 

Further, the DILG explained that the hubs will support local audit teams chaired by local chief executives and composed of building and disaster management officers.