Public offices not spared by quake

CEBU, Philippines - Government offices in Cebu were also affected when a 7.2-magnitude earthquake jolted the province last Tuesday, Oct. 15.

This, as Executive Judge Francisco Seville of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) said all hearings this week were cancelled due to the quake.

“There will be no hearing today (yesterday) and tomorrow (today) and for next week we will be waiting for the recommendation, as there is still tremor,” he told the media.

Seville said that MTCC Branches 1, 4 and 5 were severely damaged. In fact, he said, the door of the MTCC Branch 1 cannot be open due to the debris.

Apart from that, he said a big crack at MTCC Branch 8 was seen.

He said that holding office and having hearings in MTCC branches at the fourth floor of the Marcelo Fernan Hall of Justice at the Capitol Compound, Cebu City is not safe.

Seville said they asked the Supreme Court (SC) to send an expert to check the building; however, the SC opted to wait for the Cebu City Office of the Building Official report.

Because the damage sustained by the MTCC buildings, they would look for a place where to hold office as of the moment.

“This is another problem,” Seville said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy (DOE) said it continues to monitor and address the power and fuel situation in Central Visayas, especially in Bohol and Cebu, in the wake of the 7.2-magnitude earthquake.

Officials of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, National Electrification Administration, National Power Corporation, and the Philippine Electricity Market Corporation have discussed the measures being implemented by all energy agencies to restore power and fuel supply in the disaster-stricken provinces at the soonest possible time.

“Hopefully we can address the power situation in these provinces within the day. Worst-case scenario would be two to three days of no power, depending on the assessment of our people on the ground. We still have to continue monitoring the situation there,” said DOE Undersecretary Raul Aguilos, in statement.

In terms of petroleum supply, Aguilos said there were no reports of problems in Cebu, and an alternate supply source is available in Mandaue City.

DOE is also closely coordinating with oil companies operating in Cebu and Bohol to assess the impact of the earthquake in their gasoline stations and facilities.

Yesterday, Nelia Navarro, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Cebu provincial director, the ceiling of their building totally collapsed, forcing them to transfer to another building.

DTI-Cebu province office previously stayed at the third floor of LDM Building at M.J. Cuenco Avenue, Cebu City and now holding their office at the NERBAC office at the ground floor of the same building.

“Pwerte gyud guba-a sa among ceiling. We could not hold office there, that’s why we have to transfer to continue our operation,” Navarro told The FREEMAN.

Arden Monisit, Department of Education-Cebu Province schools division superintent, said that their building at the Ecotech, Lahug, Cebu City sustained several cracks, forcing him to declare no work for its personnel beginning Wednesday until today for safety purposes.

He said, though, that some personnel from the accounting and disbursement sections had to stay as they would be processing the salaries of teachers in the province.

Elias Fernandez, Department of Interior and Local Government-7 assistant director, also said that cracks were found in three floors of their building inside the Ecotech compound.

He said that their rooftop is no off limits to employees because of cracked posts.

Fernandez said that their offices and the comfort rooms developed cracks as well.

Meanwhile, the DILG-Cebu provincial office at Baex Building near the Provincial Capitol was also closed, its operations moved to the regional office.

Vittoria de Veyra, National Economic Development Authority-7 information officer, said their second building located in Ecotech that serves as stockroom and garage also showed cracks.

She said their main three-storey building remains structurally sound based on assessment by the Cebu City Engineering’s Office.

Marie Nillama, Department of Public Works and Highways-7 information officer, said the earthquake also damaged the tiled floors of their building at the South Road Properties in Cebu city.

Lou Arciaga, Department of Energy-7 information officer, said that their office at the Metrobank tower in Fuente Osmeña, Cebu City only sustained minor damage like broken glass windows and small cracks.

DOE-7 Director Antonio Labios said that they were assured by Metrobank officials of the safety of the building.

The National Food Authority regional office in Banilad, Cebu City also has cracks on its facade and walls, forcing its personnel to cut short their work hours until 3 p.m. the other day.

NFA-7 Information Officer Lucy Rosales said that their centennial warehouse at pier 6 also sustained cracks and stock of rice collapsed. Their electronic truck scale was also damaged.

Offices of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-7, the Home Mutual Development Fund or Pag-ibig, and the WT Tower at the Ayala Business Park and the Civil Service Commission-7 at Ecotech also showed minor cracks but were declared safe for occupancy

Pag-ibig Information Officer Dale Mark Antonio, though, said the same cannot be said for their office in Bohol.

DPWH-7 earlier pegged the damage to public infrastructure (bridges and flyovers) in Cebu province at P17.66 million.

Meanwhile, Seville said that though there are no hearings conducted in the branches of both MTCC and the Regional Trial Court (RTC), the Prosecutor’s Office are open up to 12 noon, yesterday and today to accommodate the arrested person for inquest proceedings.

Regional State Prosecutor Fernando Gubalane told The FREEMAN that all fiscal’s offices are open.  However, he said the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office would only be prioritizing inquest proceedings and not those for regular filing.

He was also informed that the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office was closed due to the earthquake. (FREEMAN)