Departments to hold office in tents JVR closes CH for inspection

CEBU, Philippines -  Talisay City Mayor Johnny V. Delos Reyes yesterday ordered the temporary closure of city hall after cracks on walls were found in several offices.

Spokesperson Vince Monterde said the mayor’s order came after City Engineer Audie Bacasmas told the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) at a gathering that cracks are evident in almost all offices at city hall.

Aside from cracks, there were shattered glass, broken tiles, and damaged walls in the offices, according to Monterde.

The building itself may still be “sound” but if another quake stronger than last Tuesday’s strikes, Bacasmas said he cannot vouch for the building’s durability.

For this reason, he recommended to the LDRRMC to have the building checked by a team of private structural engineers to find out if it’s still safe to occupy it.

Delos Reyes, who attended the meeting, agreed to the suggestion and ordered city hall closed temporarily while all departments use the city hall grounds starting today (Thursday). Yesterday, delos Reyes ordered the suspension of work at city hall while the building was being inspected by the city engineer’s office.

Monterde said makeshift tents will be erected to serve as offices for various departments starting tomorrow until the engineers tell them it is safe to go back to the building.

Meanwhile, Delos Reyes ordered the suspension of all classes in all levels (including Talisay City College) in public schools for the rest of the week.

The order came after the Department of Education-Talisay City District Superintendent Woodrow Denuyo told the mayor that at least nine classrooms in Bulacao Elementary School were badly destroyed by the earthquake, making them unfit for use.

The suspension is to give time to the engineer’s office to check further damage in all public schools and at the same time to ensure the safety of students and teachers, Monterde said. — With Brenda D. Batuto (FREEMAN)