GMA wants quake-prone buildings repaired

President Arroyo ordered yesterday Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz to immediately conduct repair and rehabilitation works on school buildings found to be prone to damage and collapse in the event of strong earthquakes.

The President issued the directive in light of a recent report by the Task Force on Building Inspection of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that at least 60 buildings in Metro Manila are earthquake hazards.

During a lull in the proceedings of the 12th Cabinet and National Economic and Development Authority Board meeting in Malacañang, Cruz told reporters that Mrs. Arroyo asked him to prioritize the rehabilitation of school buildings in time for the opening of classes next month.

Cruz, who is also the chairman of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), said he would get in touch with the department heads of the DPWH so that they could immediately map out a plan of action on how to tackle the Mrs. Arroyo’s directive effectively.

Among the schools the President wants immediately rehabilitated are: the Cecilio Apostol Elementary School in Caloocan City, the Malabon Elementary School in Malabon City, the Araullo High School in Manila, the Bagong Ilog Elementary School in Pasig City and the Batasan Hills Elementary School in Quezon City.

Aside from this, she said she wants retro-fitting and rehabilitation works done on the Philsports Arena (formerly Ultra), the Philippine Orthopedic Center, the Department of Education building, the Philippine Children’s Hospital and the Land Transportation Office building.

Cruz said the President had also directed his agency to intensify the conduct of earthquake drills in schools, offices and other public places to equip the students, employees and the common man on earthquake preparedness measures.

Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank yesterday offered $60 million in grant and loans to help rebuild Indonesian regions devastated by an earthquake last week.

The Manila-based bank said $10 million of the amount would be in grant and the rest would be in low-interest loans which Indonesia could use to help rehabilitate the earthquake-ravaged areas of Yogyakarta and Central Java.

ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda visited the quake-hit regions and assured Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of the bank’s support, a bank statement said.

"We will help Indonesia with whatever it takes and provide more resources to help the people rebuild their lives and livelihoods," the bank quoted Kuroda as having told Yudhoyono in Yogyakarta. — AP