Private sector urged to brace for the ‘Big One’ | BusinessMirror – Business Mirror

By Roderick L. Abad

THE private sector is encouraged to always be prepared and cooperative for the Big One, following the 5.5-magnitude tectonic earthquake early last month that jolted Batangas City and other areas of Luzon.

Let me emphasize certain things, which are very important for our national survival. [To guarantee the] earthquake resiliency of our national systems, both government and business should be strengthened, Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Rene Solidum said during the 2nd Business and the Big One Forum organized recently by the Corporate Network For Disaster Response and the American Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

Ironically, a day after he made this call for the business communitys cooperation with the government, not only to prevent damages and casualties, but also to ensure business continuity, a strong tremor measuring 7.2-magnitude struck off the coast of Mindanao.

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It was reported that several buildings were reported damaged; cracks were spotted in a hospital, two government buildings and a port; and at least one house had collapsedsome of the many destructions that could be avoided if only theyre properly designed and built to withstand such a strong earthquake.

For government and business organizations, implement backup systems and backup sites. And for national organizations, we need to decongest our operations and transfer critical operations, [or] have nearer offices in some parts of the Philippines. We need to strengthen our residential structures, office and buildings, and retrofit critical facilities right away. In the long term, either condemn or retrofit houses or buildings, he added.

The country sits atop the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area thats prone to natural catastrophes like earthquake, volcanic eruptions, and others. The most active faultthe West Valleyis seen to affect the capital region once it moves.

Hence, the popularity of the term the Big One, or the nickname of Metro Manila quake, which like all other earthquakes is feared the most. It cannot be predicted or forecasted, but based on historical data, is due to happen over within the century.

Because of this, a whole of society participation is required to reduce its potential impacts and those of eventual events like the tsunami, according to the DOST official.

Preparedness for extreme hazards needs an understanding of the extent of the hazards and the riskphysical and socio-economic, Solidum said. Science-based scenarios should be used for regional to national coordination of a whole of society approach to mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery prior to the occurrence of extreme events.

The DOST undersecretary, likewise, noted the importance of development of Business (Service) Continuity Plans in both the public and private sectors.

He warned though the business sector looking for a place to guarantee continuity of operation that Cebu, being a top preferred destination, also has its fault line like Metro Manila, so they need a backup place for their offices where their trade still proceeds despite an earthquake or any national emergencies.

Structural integrity for Big One

THERE will be a worst-case damage scenario if ever the Big One hits the country, cautioned Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines-Continuing Professional Development Chairperson Engr. Adam C. Abinales.

This is more destructive than some of the strong earthquakes recorded over the last two decades ago, such as those in Luzon (July 16, 1990) at 7.8 magnitude; Negros Oriental (February 6, 2012), 6.9 magnitude; Bohol (October 15, 2013), 7.2 magnitude; Surigao del Norte (February 10, 2017), 6.7 magnitude; and Batangas (April 4 and 8, 2017), 5.5 magnitude.

Citing the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS) in 2004, he said that the foreseen scenario has a timeline of one week, introducing a dynamic damage situation from the period of the earthquake.

For residential, 168,000 would be heavily damaged or collapsed (13 percent of total buildings) as 340,000 moderately damaged (26 percent of total buildings). Around 10,000 affected buildings alongside Manila Bay, riversides and Laguna lakeshore would be prone to liquefaction.

As to human casualties, 34,000 would be dead, of which 90 percent from pressure from collapsed buildings.

The number of dead would be small in squatter areas, Abinales noted. Those trapped in damaged buildings may be burned to death, especially those living in squatter area. Building collapse causing further death may ensue due to aftershocks.

Meanwhile, the report estimates that close to 114,000 will be heavily injured, trauma and bone fractures would be prevalent because of structural damages and falling debris, and people may fall from mid- and high-rise buildings.

Public facilities will not be spared also to destruction, including 177 hospitals, 1,412 schools, 124 firefighting stations, 43 police headquarters and 53 Metro Manila RRMC-Organization and local government unit city hall buildings. About eight percent to 10 percent of public utilities would be heavily damaged and collapsed as 20 percent to 25 percent partly destructed.

Utilities would be destroyed, including water pipeline breakage at 954 points along 4,600 km, cut of 32 km of electricity cables along length of 4,900 km, and cut of 97 km of PLDT telephone cable along 13,300 km long. Of the 213 bridges in the country, seven have high possibility of collapse, including 80 flyovers in the metropolis.

Regarding all structures, MMEIRS 2004 reveals that of the 1,000 structures built in the country, around 11 percent of the 10 to 30 stories building would be heavily damaged or collapsed, as 27 percent would be moderately destructed. From a hundred of 31- to 60-floor high towers, only two percent and 12 percent would be heavily destroyed or collapsed and slightly damaged, respectively.

Considering that the report was done 13 years ago, the structural impacts of the Big One hitting Metro Manila on businesses may be worse than projected, according to him.

So we really need to be prepared for the Big One, he suggested. But we can do something about these damages in the report by following the 10 indicators of vulnerable structure and what do we need to mitigate the effects of the hazards of earthquake, Abinales said.

The signs that buildings are at risk include: over 50 year olds, or built before 1990, with damaged structural members and that are not retrofitted based on latest code of the National Structural Code of the Philippines in 2001, 2010 and 2015; located very near fault, which may not have been designed and constructed properly; put up along coastal regions, likely hit by tsunami; built at the foot of mountain, where avalanche of rocks or landslide may occur; erected along cliffs or ravine and rivers; still undergoing construction, which are not yet structurally stable; with glass panels not anchored well, as well as other attached architectural elements; damaged by fire that are not retrofitted; and with distinctive changes in structure like vertical alignment of columns, sagging of beams, cracks at the joints and walls, doors and windows that are hard to close or open, uneven floor level, and with preexisting irregularities in plan and elevation.

The action points to reduce the effects of earthquake hazards include knowing where the dangers are(I.e. active faults and splays, weak soil, dangerous slopes and establish no build zones minimizing or eliminating falling hazards; avoiding overloading of areas on any floor in a building; conducting regular structural inspection of critical structural elements and checking for damages; and performing as necessary the pre-earthquake evaluation of building using Tier-1 Evaluation Process, whenever applicable.

Most importantly, enforce the building code, particularly the National Structural Code of the Philippines. The Big One is not yet happening, but we must act now and have all these buildings evaluated. said Abinales. These are some things that most of the companies would like to know about, especially on the integrity of existing buildings and, of course, future structures that theyre going to build.

Image Credits: en.wikipedia.org, Noodhulp

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Private sector urged to brace for the 'Big One' | BusinessMirror - Business Mirror