According to the DILG, these people are the most at risk because of The Big One.
Informal settler families may be the ones at the biggest risk if the Big One should hit Luzon, according to the DILG.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) spoke about the mega earthquake, or the Big One, on Thursday, October 16. As per the statement, those who may face the biggest risks, should the mega quake occur, are the informal settler families.
“If we do have the big one, most of the casualties will come from the ISFs (informal settler families) because none of their buildings were constructed with the…permits,” DILG Secretary Juanito Victor Remulla said. This is because the buildings there, which are usually standing 5 to 6 stories, have no structural integrity due to a lack of inspection from the local government units.
“Sila ang greatest at risk dito. Kasi yung mga buildings natin dito are mandated to withstand intensity 9 earthquakes. Pero yung mga ISFs, wala silang Building Code na sinusunod.”
In the past weeks, some of the strongest tremors recorded were:
- Magnitude 6.9 Earthquake in Cebu – The tremor that collapsed the Archdiocesan Shrine of Santa Rosa de Lima in Daanbantayan, Cebu, and other churches near the epicenter. More than a week after the deadly magnitude, another powerful 6.0 earthquake struck Cebu, Philippines, early Monday, at 1:06 AM.
- The Davao Oriental earthquake was called a “doublet earthquake,” as magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes struck the province. A lot of individuals were affected by these tremors, and thousands of houses were destroyed.
- The Surigao Del Sur earthquake recorded a 6.2-magnitude. The tectonic tremor was centered 22 kilometers northeast of Cagwait at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Remulla also added that the kerosene and other non-regulated implements for cooking by the ISFs are a “major cause of fires” during a strong earthquake. He said, assuring that the government will soon do an inspection, “We’re gonna give a memorandum circular na pasukin nila, tingnan nila kung ano yung integrity nila.”
As for the condominium building, he expressed his confidence that these buildings were built to withstand an intensity 9 earthquake, adhering to the strict national building code.
Meanwhile, previously, the Philippine and Japanese governments are preparing to review a 2004 study that examined the potential impact of “The Big One,” a 7.2-magnitude or stronger earthquake that could strike Metro Manila.
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