Qimonda damage prompts work suspension in courts

CEBU, Philippines — After the recent 6.9-magnitude earthquake caused visible cracks in the Qimonda Building, which houses several Cebu City trial courts, the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) assessed the structure and then recommended cordoning off the area due to safety concerns.

Consequently, the Office of the Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Cebu City announced a temporary suspension of work in all first- and second-level courts in the building from October 6 to 10.

In a Notice to the Public, the RTC Cebu City stated that the suspension was implemented to allow structural and electrical safety inspections of the Qimonda Building.

The RTC emphasized that this measure is necessary to ensure the safety of judges, court personnel, and the public.

Despite the suspension of regular operations, the courts will continue to attend to urgent judicial matters such as bail applications, release orders, petitions for habeas corpus, and marriage solemnization on an on-call basis. Judges may also conduct videoconferencing hearings to handle urgent cases remotely.

The directive is in line with Circular No. 291-2025, issued by the Supreme Court’s Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) on 04 October 2025, and authorized by Acting Chief Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen.

The circular covers trial courts not only in Cebu City but also in Bogo City, Iloilo City, and Roxas City, pending independent structural and electrical assessments of their respective Halls of Justice.

“The affected courts shall remain available for essential judicial action on an on-call basis to act on urgent matters,” the OCA circular read. Judges are also encouraged to conduct video-conferencing, especially for time-sensitive proceedings, like arraignment and pre-trial, to prevent delays in the administration of justice.

The Court Administrator, Ma. Theresa Dolores C. Gomez-Estoesta, also directed executive and presiding judges in the affected areas to find alternative venues for hearings if necessary and to coordinate with their respective Regional Court managers for logistical support.

The temporary suspension underscores the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring the safety of its personnel and stakeholders while maintaining access to essential judicial services amid post-earthquake assessments and recovery efforts.

City Councilor David Tumulak, CDRRMC chairman, in an interview yesterday, said both the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) and the Office of the Building Official (OBO) conducted an initial investigation to assess the integrity of the Qimonda building located along Port Service Road, Don Sergio Osmeña Avenue, North Reclamation Area, Cebu City.

Based on a surface-level assessment, Tumulak said the structural damage is now more visible after it appeared during the 2013 earthquake, of similar magnitude as the recent one.

“Sa 2013 nga earthquake naa na s’ya. I don’t know kung unsa’y gihimo sa building administration ug lain na ba sad na … but before mao na na sya, naa na sya’y problema ang Qimonda building,” said Tumulak, who also served as the CDRRMC chairman back in 2013.

After the assessment, Tumulak said they would most likely request the building owner to retrofit the structure based on the recommendations of the DEPW’s structural engineers. He said the proper protocol when visible damage is found is to cordon off the area to ensure safety. He added that this is the responsibility of the building’s safety officer, who is also mandated to make recommendations.

“That is a risky part. Maghuwat pa ba sila nga ang city government na ang musulti nila? Kabahin sa ka risgo sa maong edipisyo?” said Tumulak.

The councilor said the city government could still provide a recommendation based on the reports from the OBO and DEPW. He also urged administrators of city structures to conduct their own safety assessments, with support from the city government, as the city has only a limited number of structural engineers to accommodate all requests.

Meanwhile, as of yesterday, Cebu City maintained the cancellation of face-to-face classes and continued with online learning. This decision comes as city engineers and the Local School Board (LSB) are still assessing the structural integrity of government-owned school buildings.

While assessments and inspections continue, Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival said they are identifying schools that have already been cleared, in order to gradually resume in-person classes in the coming days.

Tumulak added that they are prioritizing inspections of school buildings. Since the earthquake occurred, 80 percent of the school buildings have already been checked. Of that number, only two percent require major rehabilitation, mostly located in the mountain barangays.

The rest of the schools in urban areas have already been given the green light, confirming their safety. However, Tumulak said it cannot be denied that the public is still experiencing trauma, specifically citing teachers who remain hesitant to return to their classrooms due to minimal hairline cracks.

Archival also said they will check the structure of the Cebu Bus Rapid Transit (CBRT) system to assess its integrity following the earthquake, especially as the pilot run for Package 1 approaches.

In the same press conference yesterday, Archival also reported on what transpired during his visit to the northern towns that were heavily affected by the recent earthquake. As of the latest count, Cebu City had gathered P2,863,482.36 in cash donations.

While the City Council approved a P20-million financial aid package for the quake-stricken areas, Archival said they could initially release at least P5 million from it. On top of this, Cebu City has already sent five waves of relief donations to the North. The city has also set up a command center in the North to centralize relief operations, including deploying a ten-man crew to help restore damaged water lines.

Archival announced that Cebu City will continue to receive donations in any form until October 15. — /RAE (FREEMAN)