By Justin Gamulo, Davao Today Intern
DAVAO CITY – The City Engineers Office (CEO) assured on Thursday that Davao City is still “technically buildable” for high-rise towers and large buildings.
The fear for safety by potential investors in the city came after the collapse of a service road at a mall last February 2.
Eng. Andy Lepardo of CEO said that Davao City’s land quality is generally safe for living and for towers.
“We have advanced engineering innovations to equip proposed buildings with towering heights,” Lepardo said.
“The reason why there are no buildings tall enough like that in Cebu city is maybe because we don’t have investors yet,” he added.
Lepardo dismissed the road mess at a nearby mall in Bajada street as an “isolated case.”
The Aeon Tower was built atop a waterway which was purported to have destroyed a part of the service road. In order to maximize their area, the management proposed the realignment of such waterway and enforced diaphragms, beams, and cables and other materials to strengthen the structure.
However, because of heavy, subsequent rainfalls in the latter parts of January, the foundation ultimately collapsed.
“The continued rainfall last January 29 and 30 might have caused the drainage to receive large volumes of water. Hydrostatic pressure from the realigned drainage is suspected to have caused the collapse of the pavement,” Lepardo said.
Engr. Larry Fernandez, building inspector of the Office of the City Building Official (OCBO), said that extensive tests will ensure that the incident wouldn’t occur in the future, adding that “soil tests should be conducted to determine if the structural designs are sound.” (davaotoday.com)
