TO mitigate the risks being posed by the West Valley Fault, the Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City is retrofitting three of its building in the Grade School complex as recommended by structural consultants.
The David Hall, Fermin Hall and Pacquing Hall will have to undergo reconstruction in accordance with the 2010 National Structural Code of the Philippines (6th Edition), according to Ateneo president Fr. Jose Ramon “Jett” Villarin, SJ.
“Following these recommendations and the recent pronouncements by Department of Education on the West Valley Fault, we will commence soonest the retrofitting process of these buildings to ensure their structural integrity,” he said in a statement posted on the school’s official website.
“The occupants of these buildings shall be temporarily relocated to various areas on campus, and provided with pre-fabricated modular air-conditioned classrooms as needed, while retrofitting the buildings is being done. Some offices will be temporarily relocated, likewise.”
He said classes in Junior High School (Grade 7 and 8) will start on June 15, while Grade 3 to 6 will open classes on Aug. 3 due to the retrofitting of the buildings.
On the other hand, classes in Grades 1 and 2 will proceed as scheduled on June 8 and 9.
Despite possible inconvenience, concerned units have already prepared plans to ensure that classes can continue and that regular emergency drills will be conducted frequently for students in Grade School and Junior High School, Villarin said.
He gave the assurance that the school administration would communicate the preparation plans to students, faculty, non-teaching staff and parents of students.
“As we have been doing for several years now, we shall keep working to streamline and integrate disaster risk education as part of our strategic thrust on environment and development, not just for our own but for our country as well,” he said.
Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology director Renato Solidum Jr. presented the result of a joint study conducted by various government agencies and the Australian government that a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in the West Valley Fault could result in severe damages to Metro Manila.