Substandard materials blamed for Bulacan wall collapse

MANILA, Philippines - An earthquake last week, substandard construction materials and soft soil could have caused the wall of a warehouse to collapse in Guiguinto, Bulacan on Monday, leaving 12 people dead and several others injured.

Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Alvarado said these factors were being considered in an investigation being conducted by the Guiguinto municipal government to determine the liability of those involved in the construction of the warehouse.

Alvarado learned that the area used to be a rice field and a site for drying noodles in the open.

“We will make sure those responsible will face charges,” Alvarado said.

He also noted that the incident occurred within a 3.5-hectare area where seven large warehouses were being constructed simultaneously.

“According to the information, the warehouses are owned by a Korean business group. They will have the structures rented by other groups of Korean traders involved in bag manufacturing,” Alvarado said.

He said investigators would check whether building permits and other requirements were complied with.

A child laborer, a seven-year-old boy, a pregnant woman and eight construction workers were killed at the site along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Ilang-Ilang.

Guiguinto police chief Superintendent Ernesto Cruz said if the unborn child of the pregnant woman is included, a total of 12 lives were lost in the accident.

Based on initial investigation, Cruz said the victims were working at the construction site when the left concrete wall of the warehouse suddenly collapsed, pinning the workers while the others resting inside their barracks suffered severe injuries.

Guiguinto Mayor Ambrosio Cruz identified the owner of the warehouse as Number One Golden Dragon Realty Corp.

Cruz said the building owner, along with the contractor, has assured him they will be shouldering all expenses for the burial and medical expenses of the victims.

Regarding the plans and permits on the building, Cruz said all were valid and in order.

He, however, said the problem lies in how the warehouse was constructed.

A product standard team from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) headed by provincial director Zorina Aldana arrived at the accident site yesterday and began their own investigation.

Aldana said they would talk to the contractor and the supplier to pinpoint the manufacturer of the steel bars used in the construction of the warehouse.

Aldana said the team gathered samples of the steel bars used in the collapsed wall to determine if they passed the quality standards set by DTI.

“Contractors and builders should know that steel bars are also passing under the quality control and product standard test of DTI,” she said.

Aldana said the steel bars should have the right weight and strength for it to pass the quality standards set by the DTI.

Alvarado, meanwhile, tasked provincial engineer Glen Reyes to inspect the construction of buildings in the province to see if the contractors are strictly following the specifications and standards of the National Building Code.

Alvarado gave the order after government engineers noticed most of the steel bars used in the collapsed concrete wall appeared substandard.

He said the incident should be an eye opener for local government units to ensure the safety of buildings. –Ramon Efren Lazaro, Ric Sapnu