Eight city school buildings confirmed defective

EIGHT schools in Cebu City were confirmed to be defective by Cebu City Hall’s engineering team, which finished their inspection yesterday.

An evaluation by the inspection team of the Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) showed that the school buildings have cracks on their concrete beams and walls and had tilting floors.

Among these schools were Toong Integrated School, Sirao Integrated School, Buhisan Elementary School, Busay Elementary School, Don Vicente Rama High School and Elementary School, Sibugay Integrated School, Hipodromo Elementary School and Sinsin Elementary School.

The DEPW cited in particular Toong Integrated Elementary School, which had a tilting second floor, cracks in the walls and concrete beams.

MSDLR construction, the contractor that built the school, promised to repair these structural defects.

But Jun Nadine Sison, DEPW’s construction division chief, said they’re recommending the replacement of the school’s second floor.

A meeting was held between the Toong school and local officials, DEPW engineers and MSDLR representatives yesterday.

Councilor Roberto Cabarrubias, who chaired the meeting as chairman of the council’s infrastructure committee, called for the deferment of a resolution that would facilitate the awarding of a contract for a market project to MSDLR.

The MSDLR hired structural engineer Roger Serato to help spearhead the repairs.

Serato was a former DEPW consultant during the tenure of former mayor Tomas Osmeña.

Serato was sacked by Osmeña, now a congressman of Cebu City’s south district, after the former mayor expressed dissatisfaction over the

DEPW report on the Gaisano Tisa Capital wall collapse in 2009.

MSDLR project manager Manuel Caliagan admitted that their cement mixture may not have been sufficient.

The DEPW said they will review the MSDLR’s proposed structural repairs on the buildings.

“The MSDLR should submit their corrections to us lest these be insufficient and erroneous,” Sison said.

He said all structurally deficient school buildings should be retrofitted if necessary.

Caliagan said they will submit their correction report next week to DEPW. Sison said they have yet to inspect the Toong barangay hall.

The DEPW official said San Narciso builders, contractor of the Sirao Integrated School, was already blacklisted by Cebu City Hall.

Earlier the Office of the Building Official (OBO) admitted that approval of building permits were bypassed to expedite construction and use of school buildings and classrooms.

At the Cebu City Council, Councilor Cabarrubias deferred approval of a resolution authorizing Mayor Michael Rama to enter into contract with MSDLR Construction for the renovation of flooring tiles and replacement of roofing of Carbon Market.

MSDLR Construction won the bidding of the P2.65 million project following the recommendation of the Bids and Awards Committee – Technical Working Group (BAC-TWG) last February.

The City Legal Office found the contract in order while the City’s Treasurer’s Office and Budget Office certified availability of funds for the project. MSDLR was earlier reported to have no permit from the Philippine Contractors Accreditation Board.

In Lapu-Lapu City, Mayor Paz Radaza said they will come out with alternatives to address the classroom and teacher shortage for the city’s students.

She said the city lacks 253 classrooms and nearly 100 teachers.

The mayor said she will meet with school officials and barangay captains to address their concerns. With Reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos