House owner told: Build retaining wall

Councilor Jerry Guardo (above photo, fifth from left) leads the team inspecting the landslide-hit Busay area. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

The city’s structural engineer has encouraged the owner of a house in Sitio Garaje, Barangay Busay, which was affected by last week’s landslide, to shore up the foundation of the house with a retaining wall.

Engineer Nilo Igot of the Cebu City’s Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW), recommended to the Castillo family, the owner of the house, to construct a concrete retaining wall in the house’s foundation, which was partly hollowed by last week’s landslide.

Igot gave this recommendation after an ocular inspection of the area was done by a team led by Cebu City Councilor Jerry Guardo, who heads the City Council’s committee on infrastructure.

Igot said that the wall would prevent landslides in the future and would be able to hold in place the house, which is located on the edge of a hillside in the area.

“There has to be a remedial measure below (the house) to put up a retaining wall. This area is beside a national highway, and there are a lot of vehicles that pass by. We recommend that they construct a reinforced concrete retaining wall,” he said.

The team talks with Michael Aliman (left) regarding the Castillo house. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

He also suggested that in the meantime, a tarpaulin or blue sack should be put up on top of the most affected area of the house which is its fence.

This is to prevent rainwater from further softening the soil in case it rains.

The Castillo family also owns the nearby Moutainview Resort and International Pharmaceuticals Inc. (IPI).

Michael Aliman, son-in-law of the Castillo patriarch, who stayed behind to look after the house when family members left after the landslide, said that the house was built in 1999 and was occupied by the family a year later.

Aside from DEPW, representatives from the quick response team, the Office of the Building Official and Department of Public Works and Highways in Central Visayas (DPWH-7) were also present during the inspection.

“My personal assessment is that the situation is really critical. It needs immediate action,” Guardo said.

He asked the different agencies present yesterday and also the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) 7 to submit a formal report and recommendation for the area by Monday next week so that he would discuss the matter in next week’s council session.

The team also inspected the nearby Temple of Leah.

Guardo said he asked the DEPW to also make a report about the area considering that it is made up of huge and heavy materials, columns and beams.