Throughout social media, we have seen the videos of structures in Mindanao shaking from the effects of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake. Buildings collapsed and even schools just a few feet from the cowering students could not take the shaking and just dipped straight into the ground.
There have already been calls for checking the structural integrity of the buildings. Modern buildings are, after all, expected to withstand even an 8.0 magnitude earthquake. A long-term solution as they had coined it, was the proper enforcement of the structural codes of the nation.
But even with codes and principles to follow, what are their uses when projects are treated simply as means to “reappropriate” the budget originally set for buildings.
What happened to Mindanao is a clear sign that we are severely lacking in defense against natural hazards. Our buildings cannot handle earthquakes, and our communities more so when it comes to flooding. Before an entire school collapses in a classroom full of students, reignite the same anger that was a year before. Remind them again that scandals are not to be swept under the rug. Before more kids are put to harm, settle for nothing less than accountability. **