Probe on fence collapse; aid to families sought

The developer of a subdivision whose perimeter fence collapsed during last Monday’s downpour will conduct a technical assessment to determine how it happened.

Representatives of Aboitiz Land Inc. met with the management of North Town Homes in Barangay Cabancalan, Mandaue City to find out why the perimeter fence collapsed and damaged six homes.

About seven families numbering 45 persons were displaced as a result.

Most of them are temporarily housed in a nearby apartment, and personnel of the Mandaue City Social Welfare Office are monitoring their condition.

Aboitiz Land Inc. said they are saddened by the incident.

“An initial technical assessment is ongoing on-site. Aboitizland, in coordination with North Town Homes Property Management Group, assigned officers to further investigate this matter,” the developer said in a press statement released yesterday afternoon.

The developer said they wanted to find out why the wall collapse happened.

“At the time of completion, this wall and other components of the development passed stringent government and industry standards,” their statement said.

Subdivision representatives also met with officials of the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (DRRMO), the Office of the Building Official (OBO) and the City Engineering Office at the landslide site.

DRRMO chief Felix Suico said they talked with subdivision officials about rebuilding the fence and providing assistance to the displaced families. No details have been finalized yet, Suico said.

Suico said the affected families should take extra care since the elevated part of the wall might collapse anytime.

Most of the families have settled in the area since 2006 and are members of an urban poor group.

Cabancalan barangay chairperson Lyza Ginguyon said their tanods are also monitoring the condition of the residents.

Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing ordered barangay officials to prepare an evacuation site for displaced families.