CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga –– Governor Dennis Pineda calls on the public to be vigilant against hardware stores selling substandard construction materials.
Following the 6.1 magnitude earthquake that hit the province last April 22, Pineda said he noticed that old houses were not destroyed but newly built ones were easily damaged.
“This is the same scenario I’ve noticed in Bohol during the 2013 earthquake. Our primary assessment is it is caused by substandard materials being sold in the market, which the people, especially the poor, do not know about because their common practice is to buy what is cheaper,” Pineda said.
With this, he sought the help of city and municipal engineers to guide the public especially in terms of building their houses.
“We ask you to help us identify hardware stores within your area that sell substandard materials. It is important that we conduct regular monitoring and inspection,” the governor said.
Pineda also reminded them that they are liable to the buildings they approve because their signatures are affixed on the plans.
“If the design is incorrect or improper, you should know that. Negligence on your part can result to loss of lives,” he said.
The governor added that he is just waiting for the report of the Porac incident and vowed to act accordingly based on the results of the investigation.
“If we found out that there is negligence on the part of the owner or the municipal engineers, we will file charges against them to make sure that those who died because of the earthquake will be served justice,” Pineda said.
He also urged local chief executives to coordinate with the Department of Trade and Industry in the conduct of regular hardware store monitoring and inspection.