17 heritage buildings need structural assessment

Seven of the heritage buildings in the City Proper district have been recommended for retrofitting, according to the Iloilo City Government’s Office of the Building Official. AJ PALCULLO/PN
Seven of the heritage buildings in the City Proper district have been recommended for retrofitting, according to the Iloilo City Government’s Office of the Building Official. AJ PALCULLO/PN

ILOILO City – From four, the number of heritage buildings in the City Proper district needing immediate structural assessment rose to 17.

This is the result of the ongoing visual assessment of the Office of the Building Official (OBO).

“Seventeen ang na-identify nga dapat need gid as soon as possible ang structural assessment. Na-identify naton nga daw damo gid sang defects nga nakita. So maski visual assessment ang amon gin-obra pero nakita ta nga may mga major cracks na sa sulod sang ila mga buildings,” said OBO head, Engr. Mavi Gustilo.

The OBO checked on a total of 39 heritage buildings on JM Basa, Ledesma, Iznart, Aldeguer, Arroyo, and Rizal streets.

Gustilo said they required the owners of these buildings to submit to their respective structural assessments to be carried out by structural engineers so necessary recommendations will be made.

The OBO chief said Mayor Jerry P. Treñas met with the owners or managers of the buildings recently.

So far, seven of the heritage buildings have been recommended for retrofitting while one is for demolition.

May instruction si Mayor sa aton Business Permits and Licensing Office (BPLO) nga if ever indi sila mag-comply sa gina-require naton nga pa-assess and as soon as possible nga mapa-rehabilitate or retrofitting sila, basi dagdagan sila closure sang BPLO,” Gustilo added.

However, she emphasized that retrofitting or demolition of the heritage buildings must go through the city’s heritage council first.

Ipaagi ta ini sa heritage council anay. Kay ang ginalantaw sang heritage council dapat ma-preserve ta man ang mga facade nila. Kung pwede porsyon sina ma-preserve, i-preserve ta. Pero kung need na gid ipa-demolish, ma-reconstruct sila pero kon ano ang facade sang previous amo gid ang dapat ibalik… ang hitsura niya,” Gustilo explained./PN

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