Rebuilding Bohol and Cebu one year later

CEBU, Philippine s- With a force comparable to that of 32 atomic bomb explosions, the earthquake that struck Central Visayas on October 15 displaced many in Bohol and Cebu alike.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology categorized the magnitude 7.2 quake as “very destructive” and the damage it caused to houses, schools, churches, hospitals, roads, bridges and other structures showed no less.

As of October 1, 2014, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Central Visayas has attended to 5,909 requests for core shelters assessment, 273 for schools, 20 relocation sites for housing and government institutions, five church sites, 48 government institutions (barangay hall, hospital, among others), 24 roads, and 205 sinkholes.

Through requests from concerned institutions, MGB also assessed possible relocation sites, as well as on-site repairs and reconstruction of affected homes.

As required by the national government, no construction—whether on-site or relocation site – can be approved without Geohazard Site Assessment Report following an inspection by state geologists.

“We do not really give a certification. What we give to LGUs and church officials before they do any reconstruction works is the Geohazard Site Assessment Report. This mean, the area is safe for the structure to be built, be it a house, hospital, or any building,” said MGB 7 chief geologist Josephine Aleta.

Sinkholes

The earthquake, as authorities would find out, did not only bring structures to the ground but also bore holes on the ground itself.

A sinkhole by the sea was also discovered adjacent to Brgy. Poblacion in the southern town of Boljoon.

“Sauna di pa na-kantilado. Karon, lawom na i-sawom pagkahuman salinog,” said municipal engineer Fulgencio Adaro said.

A 15-meter wide sinkhole also appeared in Sitio Kapayas, Kinalumsan Street, Brgy. Canjulao in Lapu-Lapu City just few minutes after the quake hit. At least 10 houses were built in the area where the sinkhole appeared. Some of the residents chose to transfer while a few of them chose to remain in the area.  

“Maayo gani kay buntag to nahitabo ang linog. Kon gabii pa to, mangahurot gyud to ang mga nagpuyo didto kay maapil og kalubong,” said Charie Mañalag who lives just a stone throw away from the sinkhole.

Geologists also discovered sinkholes in Santa Fe town in Bantayan Island, specifically in Barangays Hagdan, Langub and Kinatarcan, all in the islet of Kinatarcan located off Santa Fe. Assessment disclosed that eight of them were formed even before the quake struck but one was formed after it hit.

The biggest of the nine measures 60 meters by 50 meters with a depth of less than one meter.

The MGB advised people in the area to relocate.

Homes

In a report by the Bohol’s Provincial Planning and Development Office, the earthquake destroyed 42,771 houses in 17 hardest hit municipalities in the island.

These municipalities include Antequera, Balilihan, Buenavista, Calape, Carmen, Catigbian, Clarin, Corella, Cortes, Danao, Inabanga, Loon, Maribojoc, Sagbayan, San Isidro, Sevilla and Tubigon.   At least 70,000 families were also displaced, according to a report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Bohol First District Rep. Rene Relampagos admits there are still survivors living in makeshift tents until now, almost a year after the quake. The tents are located in badly-hit towns of Maribojoc, Loon, Calape, Tubigon, Antiquera, Cortes and Balilihan.

Eighty-five percent of the damage caused by the quake is in Relampagos’ district.

Vilma Labao, 47, a resident of Barangay Poblacion in Cortes town, says she has not been given assistance to rebuild her house.

“Nangayo rako’g trapal sa munisipyo aron di lang mangabasa among mga butang. Wa pa gyoy ikapatukod. Usa na ka tuig hapit pero bisan usa ka haligi wa pa gyod tawn… Diha na man nag-survey diri unya ingon man nga totally damaged gyod amoa,” she says.

Relampagos said the problem on the availability of ‘skilled’ workers and construction materials have contributed to the delay in the housing projects. He says workers and materials also became “in demand” after super typhoon Yolanda battered Eastern Visayas barely a month after the earthquake.

“Dinhi sa Bohol, lisod kaayo ipangita og mga karpentero, mason ug uban pa kay in demand and mahal sila ron panahona,” he said.

He, however, said the core shelter project is ongoing while numerous non-governmental organizations also donated houses to the families displaced.

“Ang ato lang is where they are right now… mabalhin nato sila the soonest time possible. Wa man ta pasagdi sa atong kagamhanan sa national in our rebuilding efforts,” he says.

Bohol Governor Edgar Chatto, in a separate interview, says the province wants survivors out of the tents by October 15, the first year anniversary of the tragedy. He says those still living in tents are being monitored.

Schools

Aside from houses, the MGB also assessed a total of 150 schools in Bohol alone, 18 of which are in Buenavista town.

State geologists conducted assessment in the towns of Dagohoy, Balilihan, Batuan, Catigbian, Clarin, Codilla, Cortes, Dagohoy, Inabanga, Loon, Tubigon, Pilar, Sevilla, Bien Unido, Dauis, Candijay, Buenavista, Alicia, Anda, Mabini, Garcia Hernandez, Jagna, and Guindulman.

Three schools were found to be standing near sinkholes, namely Cabacnitan Elementary School, Canabacay Primary school, and Catigbian National High School in the town of Batuan.

MGB has recommended relocating the school buildings in 19 schools in Antequera (Banyahan Elementary School, Cansibuan Primary School, Tabuan Primary School), Batuan (Cabancnitan Elementary School), Catigbian (Cambailan Elementary School), Clarin (Bonbon Elementary School), Cortes (Monserrat Primary School, Rosario Primary School), Loon (Napo Elementary School), Tubigon (Tinangnan Elementary School, Tubigon East Central Elementary School, Tubigon West Central Elementary School, Ubujan Elementary School, Villanueva Primary School), Candijay (Bohol Island State University-Satellite Campus, La Union National High School, Luan Elementary School), Alicia (Sudlon Elementary School), Buenavista (Magkaya Elementary School).

Only five schools have not undergone repair, namely the Cabacnitan Elementary School in Batuan town, Cambailan Elementary School and Catigbian National High School in Catigbian town, Rosario Primary School in Cortes town, and Napo Elementary School in Loon town.

The Department of Education-Bohol Division has reported that a total of 1,001 new classrooms have already been built.

Wilfreda Bongalos, Bohol Schools Division Superintendent, said 1,260 classroom buildings had to be replaced because they were damaged severely.

Of the 1,001 new classrooms, 270 were completed between the period of June and July this year while construction is ongoing for 731 others, which are set to be completed before the year ends.

Bongalos said the project was funded through the DepEd’s Quick Response Fund, public-private partnerships and other NGOs.

Of the 1,145 classrooms that have been damaged, Bongalos said 440 have already been repaired. Next year, 967 more will undergo major repair.

DepEd has designed disaster-resilient methods in rehabilitating the school buildings.

Health facilities

In a separate report by the Department of Health infrastructure division, a total of 209 health facilities in Central Visayas were affected by the earthquake. Assessment by engineer Maximo Adan Jr. placed the total worth of damage at P395,281,737.

The biggest brunt of damage is on infrastructure worth P358,181,737 while the rest is on busted equipment. Because the quake’s epicenter was in Bohol, most of these facilities are located there with total damage amounting to P324,754,794 in 12 hospitals (P163.8 million), 36 rural health units (P80.5 million), and 120 barangay health stations (P45 million).

The Congressman Natalio Castillo Hospital (P71 million) in Loon is no longer functioning but other hospitals that have incurred damaged still continue to operate, including the Congressman Simeon Toribio Memorial Hospital (P28 million) in Carmen, Catigbian Community Hospital (P7 million), Clarin Community Hospital (P10 million), Francisco Dagohoy Municipal Hospital (P10 million), Maribojoc Community Hospital (P28.7 million), Candijay Community Hospital (P905,000), San Miguel Hospital (P905,000), Tubigon Community Hospital (P905,000), Calape Hospital (P2.87 million), Teodoro B. Galagar Hospital in Jagna (P452,500), and Dimiao Infirmary (P905,000).

Of the affected RHUs in Bohol, those that are no longer functional are Loon 1 RHU in Moto Sur, Loon 2 RHU, Maribojoc RHU, Sagbayan RHU, Balilihan RHU, Dimiao RHU, San Isidro RHU, Batuan.

Those that have been damaged partially are located in Antequera, San Miguel, Dauis, Baclayon, Carmen, Dagohoy, Danao, Sierra Bullones, Pilar, Jagna 1 and 2, Alicia, Garcia Hernandez, Ubay 1, Candijay, Lila, Clarin, Inabanga, Calape, Bien Unido, Catigbian, Carlos P. Garcia, Trinidad, Loboc, San Isidro, Getafe, Corella, and Tagbilaran City Health Office.

The BHS that have been destroyed can be found in Mayuga in Guindulman, Owac in Bilar, Punong in Alburquerque, Maitum in Catigbian, Bantoan in Buenavista, San Vicente and Can-oling in Dagohoy, Canlaas and Bungahan in Antequera. Villa Arcayo in Carmen, Camboac Sur and Abucay Norte in Sikatuna.

Birthing facilities in Sagbayan and Maribojoc are no longer functioning while those in Batuan and Antequera sustained minor damage.

As reported by Health Emergency Management Staff personnel Harvi Durangparang, the DOH central office released only P76 million for the rehabilitation of two hospitals in Bohol. The CNCH in Loon gets P71 million while the Maribojoc Community Hospital gets P5 million.

At least 13 hospitals in the neighboring Negros Oriental also felt the brunt of the earthquake with damage assessed at P17.8 million. 

These hospitals include the Negros Oriental Provincial Hospital in Dumaguete City, Bindoy District Hospital, Bais District Hospital, Gov. William Villegas Memorial Hospital in Guihulngan, Nabilog Community Primary Hospital in NabilogTayasan, Pacuan Community Primary Hospital in La Libertad, Luz Sikatuna Community Hospital in Guihulngan, Canlaon District Hospital, Amio Community Primary Hospital in Sta. Catalina, Siaton District Hospital, Mabinay Medicare Hospital, Inapoy Community Primary Hospital in Mabinay, Bayawan District Hospital,

In Siquijor island, damage has been pegged at P5.8 million on the Siquijor Provincial Hospital, Siquijor town RHU and Cabal-asan BHS in Maria town.

Cebu situation

Next to Bohol, the most number of health facilities affected are in Cebu with damage pegged at P10,097,907 on 10 hospitals and nine RHUs.

Affected but still operational hospitals include the Mandue City Hospital, Lapulapu City Hospital, Danao Provincial Hospital, Carcar Provincial Hospital, Tuburan District Hospital, Minglanilla District Hospital, Balamban District Hospital, Malabuyoc Hospital and Bantayan District Hospital.

The RHUs affected are the Consolacion Health Center, Dalaguete Health Center, Alcoy Health Center, Samboan Health Center, Boljoon Health Center, Compostela Health Center, Argao Health Center, Bantayan Health Center and Birthing Facility.

Six hospitals retained by the Department of Health in Cebu have also sustained minor cracks and damage has been assessed at P36.758 million.

These healthcare facilities include the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center reaching P25 million (P5 million for Trauma Center, P10 million for Child Survival Center, P10 million for Center for Behavioral Science), EversleyChild Sanitarium (P5 million), St. Anthony Mother and Child Hospital (P1 million), Talisay District Hospital (P1 million), Don Emelio Del Valle Memorial Hospital in Ubay, Bohol (P1 million), and the DOH Central Visayas regional office (P5 million).

Cebu City

Right after the earthquake, the old building of the Cebu City Medical Center was declared unsafe for occupancy and had to be abandoned.

During the quake, patients had to be moved out of the building and were forced to occupy Panganiban Street, the road immediately outside the city-run hospital.

As aftershocks faded, they had to be transferred to the nearby Bureau of  Fire Protection compound where it continues to operate. Its status was also downgraded to Level 1 due to structural limitations.

As P2 billion needs to be raised to be able to rebuild a new building with several fund-raising efforts launched, including the “Piso Mo, Hospital Ko” initiated by the city government.

Just this month, a concert dubbed “One Night Only” was organized by hospital personnel also to raise funds.

Mayor Michael Rama continues to appeal for donations, saying that the hospital is “the people’s hospital.”

Bidding has been conducted for the construction of the new building.

For a while, tents were installed at Plaza Sugbu fronting the Cebu City Hall building to continue transactions while the structural integrity of the edifice was being verified. The emergency session of the Cebu City Council was even held under a tent near the flag pole where employees gathered every Monday for the flag raising ceremony.

Like the CCMC, the Marcelo Fernan Hall of Justice was also declared unsafe for occupancy and needed to abandoned.

The courts are now operating at the Qimonda IT Center building at the North Reclamation Area. The Supreme Court has alloted P500 million from its 2015 annual budget for the construction of a new justice building.

However, the city and provincial prosecutors offices are still being housed at tents and at the building of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

Damage at the Pasil Fish Market was pegged at P20 million, says market administrator Raquel Arce.

Through a public-private partnership, the fish port was renovated with pooled resources amounting in total to P100,000 to P120,000 used.

“Since walay fund ang city for the repair, the vendors association initiated the renovation. All members contributed. We changed the roofing, columns, among others,” Arce told The Freeman.

One of the most prominent sites of damage was that of Budget Builders, Inc. along N. Bacalso Avenue whose building collapsed during the earthquake.

Melvin dela Torre, human resource and administration head, said the disaster affected the sales and recruitment rate of the company greatly.

 Since it was not possible to repair even a portion of it due to the extent of the damage, the management decided to demolish the whole building. It took the company about four months to demolish the structure and clear the area while setting up temporary offices there.

Southern towns

For five months, no one was allowed to enter the old municipality hall of Dalaguete and offices of the Philippine Postal Office, Commission on Election office and Dalaguete Police, which used to occupy the building needed to be relocated to the old rural health center beside the fire station.

Minor cracks were also found at the community health centers such as those in Barangay Tapon. Some of the houses that were made of light materials and were located in mountain barangays were also destroyed.

Engr. Donald Lara, municipal engineer of Dalaguete, says they have allotted P650,000 for the reconstruction of the municipal building.

The town received P1 million from the Department of Interior and Local Government last August as part of the Bohol earthquake assistance fund. The remaining P450,000 will be used to restore the San Guillermo de Aquitaña Parish.

In Boljoon, a landslide made a road impassable when a portion of the most popular landmark in the municipality, the Ili Rock, collapsed. Ilihan, a natural rock formation at the edge of the Poblacion, is believed to be a natural fortress in the pre-historic era.

Its famous boardwalk and seawall were also destroyed. They were initially damaged by the typhoon Pablo that hit Cebu in 2012.

If Municipal Engineer Fulgencio Adario were to assess, the foundation of the seawall and boardwalk was weakened by the earthquake but the strong surge of the waves that hit the structure twice after the quake made it give in.

“Although wa maabot sa seabed ang foundation sa seawall and boardwalk, normal ra man kay naabot man og ten years. Naa gud mi maintenance before kada tuig nga worth P100 000 para di ma-scour ang foundation,” he says.

Until now, the 15-meter-long boardwalk remains off limits to visitors and residents. The Department of Public Works and Highways will allot P40 million to rehabilitate the seawall and boardwalk.

The town’s office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development that was built on the reclaimed area by the sea was also submerged, all its documents lost. No one was hurt as it was a holiday when the earthquake hit.

The town’s sports complex and multi-purpose building that were also located by the sea were also damaged.

Adario estimated the total damage at P16 million.

The municipal government received P13 million from DILG and P6 million from the Cebu Provincial Government to start repair works.

There were also 21 houses from coastal and non-coastal barangays in Boljoon that were affected by the quake. Families had to be evacuated to the church plaza for two to three days. They were given P10,000 worth of housing materials just a month ago.

The residents in the coastal barangays will soon be transferred to upland areas in Sitio Kalumboyan. Two hectares of land were reportedly donated by Iglesia Katolika as a relocation site.

CICC

The Cebu International Convention Center, which is located in Mandaue City also suffered severe damage. Talks are still ongoing for a third private appraiser to determine the market value of the property.

With its current state, Capitol placed the value of building at P600 million but the Mandaue City Government pegged it only at P200 million.

The Capitol owns the CICC but it is Mandaue City that owns the lot where it stands.

Taking into account the duration it would take to repair the building, CICC is projected not to longer serve as a venue for the Asia Pacific Economic Conference next year and the International Eucharistic Congress  in 2016. 

Roads and bridges

Back in Bohol, the total damage to roads and bridges was pegged at P546 million, as estimated by the Department of Public Works and Highways 7.

Of the P12 billion total province-wide rehabilitation, Governor Chatto said around P2.3 billion is allotted for local government infrastructure.

DPWH 7 Director Ador Canlas says all roads and bridges in Bohol and Cebu damaged by the quake are now passable.

However, even with its swift response for the rehabilitation and construction of these infrastructures, he said that temporary rehabilitation should harmonize with the steps to the permanent construction.

“We completed the road projects and we opened the traffic by November 20. In just a month, we have completed the five steel bridges as temporary lang, but we have to consider the permanent restoration,” he says.

Canlas says the five major bridges that were installed with emergency steel bridge were the Abatan Bridge and Moalong Bridge (on both sides of the Tagbilaran North Road), Tultugan Bridge and Desamparados Bridge (in Calape), and  Tagbuane Bridge along Tagbilaran East Road needs permanent construction.

Chatto says infrastructure in the province need some time to fully recover.

“It was just a month and a half we were able to restore, power supply is quick, roads and bridges were quick. But these were all temporary because we want them replaced,” he said.

“You would not believe that Bohol was violently shaken by a quake if you would move around the province,” Chatto says.

In Bohol, major roads like Tagbilaran North, Tagbilaran East, Loay Interior roads, Cortes-Balilihan-Catigbian-Macaas were impassable after the quake but were swiftly restored by the DPWH District Engineering Office.

DPWH 1st District Engineering Office, Tagbilaran City, at least 19 disaster-related projects were fully completed.

It includes the repair, rehabilitation, and construction of Tagbilaran North Road, Cortes-Balilihan-Catibian-Macaas Road, Antequera-San Isidro-Libertad Road and Maribojoc-Antequera-Catagbacan Road, among others.

Some repaired bridges in Bohol were Damiao, Daet, Panangatan, Agape, Palo, Camayaan, Tultogan, Hunan, Taguimtim, Hinawanan, Bonkokan, Banban, among others.

The district office still needs at least P404 million to continue the reconstruction and upgrading of roads in some areas.

Canlas said that about 75 percent of the projected budget will be released next year for the further rehabilitation and construction.

He said that the department has been helping in the assessment of the integrity of the municipal buildings, market buildings, and school buildings, among others.

Further, he said that a technical committee was convened to collate recommendations needed to better build resilient buildings and structures.

Meanwhile, the DPWH-Department of Tourism convergence program ensured the swift recovery of the roads leading to tourist attractions.

These include the concrete paving of the Panglao Island Circumferential Road; Dauis- Panglao Center Island Road; Bacalayon-Corella Road leading to the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary, Baclayon, Corella; and upgrading of the roads in Sagbayan, Danao National Road; and Concepcion Danao-Buenavista, Carmen Road Leading to Danao Adventure Park. — /JMO (FREEMAN)