‘Update Building Code to prevent bigtime damage from Big One quake’

The Makati skyline is seen in this file photo.

The STAR / Miguel De Guzman

MANILA, Philippines — The difference between life and death for the 13 million residents of Metro Manila lies in the improvement of a nearly 46-year-old decree that laid down rules on the design and construction of buildings, an urban planner said.

As the specter of the so-called “Big One” earthquake spooks the megacity especially after the devastating magnitude-7.8 tremor that shook Türkiye and Syria, renowned urban planner Jun Palafox recommended updating the 1977 National Building Code before it is too late.

The Big One refers to the worst case scenario for Metro Manila should the West Valley Fault, which cuts through the capital region, move and generate a magnitude-7.2 quake as shown in a 2004 joint study by the Japan International Cooperation Agency, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority and Phivolcs.

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/02/16/2245408/update-building-code-prevent-bigtime-damage-big-one-quake