Public works cmte to OBO: “Issue structural integrity certificate to CCS school building”

“DALI-ON ta ni kay July 29 na mag-open ang skwelahan.”

(The classes are opening on July 29, so let’s expedite this (request to turn over the 32 classrooms.))

Public works committee chair Councilor Edgar S. Cabanlas has this to say, acting upon the appeal of City Central School Principal Annabelle J. Lariba, who requested for the turnover of the 32 classrooms which were completed last 2013 but are still unused until the present.

According to Lariba, 80% of the 5,449 learners are under emergency schedule and will be greatly affected in the opening of classes due to classroom shortage.

“We have 128 organized classes, and we only have 105 classrooms for the moment… We are in dire need of the classrooms, so that we can facilitate the learning of our learners [the entire day],” Lariba reported.

Her request also comes with the appeal for the provision of a technical assistance to assess the school building as the Office of the Building Official (OBO) suggested for the hiring of a 3rd party structural engineer, who will be tasked to inspect and investigate the safety status of the building.

Councilor Roger Abaday, however, questioned this recommendation from OBO saying that the government must not wait for a private entity to determine if the building is fit for occupancy, citing that OBO has enough capacity and expertise.

The OBO representative, who is a structural designer himself, contended that the building is safe based on their assessment. Their office, however, cannot issue the certificate of structural integrity, because of the contractor’s failure to secure a building permit.

“What (then) is the most practical solution here para magamit nana nga building?” Cabanlas asked.

(What (then) is the most practical solution here so that the building may be already used?” Cabanlas asked)

The OBO representative insisted on his first recommendation to have a private practitioner to give an outsider’s impression of a government-implemented project.

With this, Cabanlas directed OBO to issue the needed certification in one week or else they have to write a formal explanation why they you cannot, so the committee may act on it.