No height limitations for Baguio structures: mayor
>> Wednesday, November 10, 2010
By Dexter A. See
BAGUIO CITY – Contrary to perceptions that high rise structures are banned in the city due to allegedly geological disadvantages, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said the local government is not imposing restrictions on height of buildings to be built in this summer capital.
But he said determination of the height of a building to be constructed in the city will depend on the outcome of soil tests to be conducted by experts so handling capacity of the soil and use of appropriate structural engineering methods will be established for the building.
While the July 16, 1990 killer earthquake caused high rise structures in the city then to collapse, Domogan disclosed findings of experts who repeatedly studied the situation showed destruction to buildings then was due to poor structural design that claimed hundreds of innocent lives.
Because of the aforesaid scenario right after the earthquake, concerned government agencies and the city government devised measures to ascertain stability of areas as well as its capacity in order to regulate high rise structures.
Domogan said there was need for investors to first conduct the mandatory soil test and geological assessment of the area prior to planning and constructing a high rise structure.
According to the city mayor, prospective investors should not fear the height limitations being imposed on buildings to be constructed because the state of the structure to be built will solely depend on the outcome of the soil tests and geological assessment to be done by experts who are familiar with the situation of the city.
To ensure the safety of life and limb on the structures to be built, Domogan advised building owners to comply with findings and recommendations of experts so no lives and properties will be at risk, especially with the occurrence of earthquakes that could pose a serious threat to their safety.
At present, numerous high rise structures have been built and are also undergoing constructing
in the city which indicates Baguio is slowly rising up from the rubbles of the earthquake over 20 years ago.
Considering that the city has mostly mountainous terrain, experts recommended mitigating measures in putting up of structures.
Among the measures were board piling for the foundations of high rise buildings, appropriate drainage systems, slope protection walls and use of appropriate technology for structures.
Domogan said putting up of structures in mountain places like Baguio is totally different from the construction of buildings in the lowland areas and that the former is far more expensive and tedious, thus, the need for people to understand the real situation in the Cordillera where most places have elevations exceeding 18 degrees slope.
4 comments:
The man has not learned anything from the 1990 earthquake, has he? When the soil itself already said what buildings should be there and what must go. And now he encourages people to build high? Baguio is a disaster waiting to happen, a death trap because in case of an earthquake it will be isolated again.
I have come to make Baguio my home. As much as I love the way the city is now, I realize that it must grow. Baguio must grow vertically or we will lose the trees we so dearly love.
Urban sprawl will be the death of Baguio, so up we go. Vertical puts less stress on an already overstressed infrastructure.
But along with vertical growth, must come, improved water/sewer and elevated streets. I applaud the city for continuing to balance residents, tourist, business and nature.
Look upwards Baguio, upwards.
Go Baguio, you are just so correct and saying the point. Baka isukapay ah ti maubulsada uray la awanen mangikabilan da ti subsubra nga kuwarta da, greedy, greedy!!!
more anomalies and corrupt in dbm car. what we can do now? where all the money and budget goes?
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