Architect Florante Catalan, the head of OBO. | CDN file
CEBU CITY, Philippines —The Cebu City Office of the Building Official (OBO) revealed that the contractors of the condotel construction, which caused the collapse of the back portion of the Juanita Building in Gorordo Street in Barangay Kamputhaw, is asking the pull out test to be moved to a later date.
Read: Part of building collapses in Kamputhaw, Cebu City
The OBO initially scheduled the pull-out test on Thursday, August 22, 2019, to check if the construction complied with the additional anchors or shoring of the excavated site to strengthen the soil and protect the nearby structures.
These mitigation measures were ordered by OBO after the collapse of the back portion of the Juanita Building on August 5 caused by the softening of the soil due to the construction.
Read: OBO orders mitigation measures in Kamputhaw condotel construction
However, Architect Florante Catalan, the head of OBO received a text message at 7 a.m. Thursday morning from the contractors of the 26-story building asking for more time.
“Wala pa nadayon kay karon pa daw dalhun sa site ang mga gamit nila. (We did not push through with the pull out test because the construction has yet to deliver the equipment to the site),” said Catalan.
He said that instead of the pull out test, the contractors will be identifying the areas to put the additional anchors or shoring in.
Read: Cebu City Council to probe partial collapse of building in Barangay Kamputhaw
Catalan assured the public the OBO is constantly monitoring the progress of the construction and putting up of the mitigation measures.
He also said the pull-out test will have to be done within the week to assure the safety of the construction.
The OBO urged the contractors of the 26-storey buidling to hasten putting mitigation measures to ensure the safety of nearby structures, or else their suspension will not be lifted. /bmjo