DPWH Installs Earthquake Recording Instrument

Leading the public sector in maximizing resources and technology available for disaster risk reduction, two (2) units of accelerograph were installed at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Head Office to ensure the serviceability, performance, and structural integrity against earthquake of its five (5) storey building at Port Area, Manila.

Installation of accelerograph, a sensing equipment that measures seismic acceleration or strong ground motion that processes and converts the intensity, velocity and displacement of ground motion, coincides with the holding of Earthquake Resilience Seminar by the DPWH National Building Code Development Office among Metro Manila Building Officials recently.

Earlier, the DPWH through its National Building Code Development Office (NBCDO) issued NBCDO Memorandum Circular No. 1, Series of 2015, which provides for the Guidelines and Implementing Rules on Earthquake Recording Instrumentation (ERI) for Buildings and as part of the Implementing Rules and Regulation of the National Building Code and pertinent provisions of National Structural Code of the Philippines.

The Guidelines and Implementing Rules on Earthquake Recording Instrumentation for Buildings which was published in newspaper of general circulation requires building to install certain number of ERI and at different locations.

It shall cover all existing buildings, both government and private, located in Seismic Zone 4 in the entire Philippines except Palawan and Tawi-Tawi located in Zone 2.

The installation of the instrument shall form part of the requirements for the Annual Certificate of Inspections for existing buildings and as a pre-condition for the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy for new buildings covered by the guidelines.

Monitoring of compliance on the provisions is under the ambit of powers of the office of the local Building Officials and City/Municipal Engineer who are required by DPWH Secretary Rogelio L. Singson to submit quarterly compliance report of the buildings under their respective areas of jurisdiction.

Source: www.dpwh.gov.ph