ANGELES CITY — Following its investigation into the Balibago building collapse, the Angeles City Fact-Finding and Investigation Task Force said the city government will review and enhance its processes for issuing and monitoring building permits.
The reforms will cover how structural plans are approved, how construction modifications are monitored, and how compliance with approved plans is enforced, Task Force Special Legal Adviser Atty. Darwin Reyes said in a press briefing on Friday, Sept. 25.
“To prevent a similar incident from happening again, we will review the processes for securing permits and the regulations for building construction. Aside from these findings, we will implement preventive measures so the same incident will not happen in the future,” Reyes said.
Reyes said the collapse should serve as a basis for reforms to ensure that what is approved on paper is what is actually built and, most importantly, that it is safe.
Based on the totality of evidence — including technical assessments, expert opinions, documentary records, site inspections, and laboratory tests — the Task Force identified overstressing of the structure’s columns and piles as the main cause of the collapse. The columns and piles were insufficient to carry the loads and were designed to resist only gravity loads, not lateral displacement.
Contributing factors included unauthorized alterations during construction, such as the addition of steel beams and flooring, which added weight not accounted for in the original design. Other construction and detailing errors were also noted.
Reyes added that the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) found multiple violations. These include labor standards violations affecting 57 workers, with monetary deficiencies amounting to P1,102,798.50 for unpaid wages, rest day premiums, and holiday pay; and occupational safety and health standards violations amounting to P10,324,000 in administrative fines due to lack of safety controls, permits, supervision, and alleged misrepresentation of safety certificates.
The total liability under the DOLE order is P11,426,798.50, while the city government incurred P9,676,850.13 in expenses for rescue, search, retrieval, and clearing operations.
The local government unit will pursue recovery of its expenses. A demand letter will be sent for reimbursement, with legal action as the next step if payment is not made, Reyes said.
The final report will be submitted to the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation, and the Prosecutor’s Office to support the filing of appropriate cases against those found liable.
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