The City Government of Muntinlupa just announced that all new construction located on earthquake fault zones will be prohibited and already the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of City Ordinance 2024-174 are being drafted, according to a Manila Bulletin news report.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Muntinlupa City government will prohibit all new construction on earthquake fault zones in the city.
Mayor Ruffy Biazon announced this on June 13 as he led the meeting of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
The Muntinlupa City government is drafting the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of City Ordinance 2024-174 or the Fault Zone Ordinance of 2024.
“Through this ordinance, we aim to ensure the safety of our constituents from earthquake risks by prohibiting construction in areas affected by the West Valley Fault and ground fissures,” said Biazon.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and Science and Technology Information Institute (STII), “the West Valley Fault system is an imaginary line marking the area where the different fault systems are located underground and are actively moving from where a big earthquake may originate.”
The Valley Fault System “is an active fault system composed of two fault segments: the 10-km long East Valley Fault (EVF) in Rizal and the 100 km long West Valley Fault (WVF) that runs through different cities and towns of Bulacan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite, and Laguna. The WVF can generate a large earthquake with a magnitude of 7.2 or commonly known as ‘The Big One’ which poses threat to people, livelihood, buildings and infrastructures.”
In April, the Muntinlupa City Council passed the ordinance, which was signed by Biazon on April 16.
Under the ordinance, new construction will be barred on earthquake fault zones transected by the West Valley Fault and Fissure in Muntinlupa.
The identification of the no-build zones will be based on the 2015 Valley Fault Atlas published by the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), which “shows an expanded reach and scope of these earthquake fault and fissures in Muntinlupa City.”
The Muntinlupa City Council passed Ordinance 2024-174 or the Fault Zone Ordinance of 2024, which was signed by Mayor Ruffy Biazon on April 16.
“There are existing faults and fissures zones in City of Muntinlupa, which need to be effectively identified, zoned and delineated to promote the safety and provide guidance to the inhabitants of Muntinlupa City and the general public,” according to the ordinance.
The ordinance mandates that “permanent fault markers shall be installed for the purpose of awareness and preparedness following national and international standard roadside traffic designs and materials.”
It added that “buildings, structures, and other properties transected by the West Valley Fault and Fissures, as appearing in the Valley Fault Atlas published by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS), are considered dangerous and unsafe for human occupancy.”
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, do you agree with the City Government’s prohibition on all construction on earthquake fault zones? Is your local community located near an earthquake fault zone?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.
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