RDC presses P72-M works on Ifugao General Hospital

By Marlo Lubguban

BAGUIO CITY – The regional project monitoring committee headed by National Economic Development Authority-Cordillera regional director Milagros Rimando and Dept. of Health regional director Amelita Pangilinan agreed to conduct a third-party assessment of the structural retrofitting done on the main building of the Ifugao General Hospital in Lagawe during a problem–solving session of RPMC here on June 18.

The staff of Dept. of Public Works and Highways Cordillera and structural engineer Joselito Buhangin agreed to assist the regional DOH in the assessment.

The meeting was an offshoot of the April 2019 site inspections by the RPMC on the carbon fiber retrofitting the main hospital building in Lagawe.
              RPMC member and RDC private sector representative Julie Cabato urged an additional third-party assessment to ensure the hospital will be structurally safe for use of the people of Ifugao.
              Buhangin engineer attended the meeting on June 18 to provide his insights on the Ifugao General Hospital project and said while the presented building plan looked to be in order, he wanted to see the original calculations made in 2009 and the subsequent calculations for retrofitting to determine where the lapses and deficiencies were made.

He added that carbon fiber retrofitting is a good option because of it being lightweight and low-cost.

He added there are other options for retrofitting such as column retrofitting, or jacketing using steel angles, steel plates, or concrete.

Buhangin said in choosing a retrofitting method, certain criteria must be considered such as current status and performance of the structure and performance required of the structure after retrofitting, conditions for retrofitting construction works and ease of maintenance and economy.
               Regional office of DPWH was asked by DOH to assess the main building with Buhangin.

The results of the assessment will be the basis of whether or not to proceed with Phase III of the Ifugao General Hospital project, amounting to 72 million pesos.

Phase III consists of site preparation, masonry work, grouted riprap, tile works, railings, doors & windows, plumbing, and structural trusses.

The Ifugao General Hospital project is part of the DOH Health Facilities Enhancement Program (HFEP) aimed to replace the previous Ifugao General Hospital situated in Kiangan, Ifugao.