PH needs to boost quake preparedness, says OCD
Rescuers and a K9 dog inspect the damage following a strong earthquake, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 30, 2025. REUTERS/Patipat Janthong
MANILA, Philippines — Following the destructive magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand last week which claimed thousands of lives, an official from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Tuesday admitted that the Philippines still has a lot of catching up to do when it comes to disaster preparedness.
At a public briefing, OCD spokesperson Director Chris Noel Bendijo emphasized how crucial it is to comply with the National Building Code, noting that preparations for the “Big One” would be in vain if the infrastructure is not robust enough.
“Our duck, cover, and hold measures during earthquake drills will be meaningless if our buildings and structures collapse because they did not comply with the Building Code,” said Bendijo in Filipino during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing.
Bendijo also emphasized the need for lawful issuance of building permits.
“When we take shortcuts here, we put ourselves and our families at risk when disaster strikes, because the resilience of our structures depends on our adherence to the Building Code,” he added.
READ: Palace urges LGUs to conduct building inspections amid ‘Big One’ threat
In a briefing last Monday, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro directed local government units to conduct building inspections and enforce stricter issuance of building permits amid renewed fears of the “Big One.”
“To the local government units, for us as well, we are demanding that their building officers conduct inspections if possible,” said Castro.
“They should also be strict in issuing permits for the construction of buildings that may not be strong enough.”
