Wazzup Pilipinas!?
A 34-Year-Old Building Passes Its Most Critical Test
TAGBILARAN CITY, BOHOL — In the pre-dawn hours of September 30, 2025, when a magnitude 6.9 earthquake violently shook the Visayas region, the Hall of Justice Building in Bohol faced what could have been its final examination. For the second time in twelve years, seismic forces tested the integrity of this 34-year-old structure. And for the second time, it held firm.
The technical assessment report, dated October 1, 2025, and prepared by volunteer civil engineer Amon Rey Clavano Loquere, delivers a verdict that brings both relief and urgency: the building stands, but it bears the scars of battle.
A Structure with History Written in Cracks
Completed on December 12, 1991, the Hall of Justice was built as a reinforced concrete structure with masonry infill walls—a design that has now proven its worth through decades of service and two major seismic events. The building's story is one of resilience, but also of accumulated trauma.
The visible cracks that now mark its masonry walls tell a tale of compounding stress. These fissures, the report notes, are "consistent with seismic-induced damage" that first appeared after the devastating October 15, 2013 earthquake—a magnitude 7.2 monster that left Bohol reeling. The September 2025 quake didn't create new wounds so much as reopen old ones, a reminder that buildings, like people, carry the memory of past traumas.
Yet here's the remarkable finding: while the masonry walls show their battle scars, the building's skeletal frame—its columns and primary load-bearing elements—remain untouched. No cracks. No visible damage. The spine holds strong.
A Professional Assessment Under Pressure
The post-earthquake assessment was conducted under extraordinary circumstances. Judge Lindecita Arcamo of the Hall of Justice, working alongside City Engineer Teodoro Estoque and his team, responded to the City of Tagbilaran's call for volunteer engineers. Their mission was urgent: determine whether the building could safely house the judges, lawyers, and citizens who depend on it daily.
Engineer Loquere's assessment reveals both the building's strengths and vulnerabilities:
The Good News: The structural columns show no compromise. The load-bearing capacity remains intact. The building's main framework has withstood two major earthquakes without yielding.
The Concerns: The masonry walls display cracking patterns suggesting non-structural damage. More alarmingly, sections of the ceiling system have become dilapidated, creating immediate safety hazards that could deteriorate further without intervention.
The Verdict: Safe, But Not Without Conditions
"The building is deemed structurally safe for occupancy," the report confirms, a statement that undoubtedly brought sighs of relief to city officials. But this declaration comes with a critical caveat: immediate repairs are essential.
The damage, while limited to non-structural elements, requires urgent attention "to restore the building to full functional and safety standards." It's the engineering equivalent of saying: you can walk, but you need medical attention now.
A Four-Point Plan for Rehabilitation
The assessment lays out a clear roadmap for rehabilitation:
Immediate Masonry Wall Repair: Engineers must conduct thorough crack repair and reinforcement to prevent water ingress and further deterioration—a race against both time and the elements.
Complete Ceiling Replacement: All compromised ceiling panels must be removed and replaced, a task that serves dual purposes: eliminating immediate falling hazards and allowing inspection of what lies above.
Comprehensive Roof Inspection: Once ceilings are removed, engineers can finally examine the roof framing system for any hidden damage—the structural secrets that ceiling panels currently conceal.
Swift Implementation: The City Engineering Office must expedite a detailed Program of Work, including renovation plans and building permits, to fast-track the rehabilitation process.
The Hidden Advantage of Damage
Paradoxically, the ceiling replacement presents an opportunity. By removing the damaged panels, engineers gain access to structural elements normally hidden from view. It's a chance to conduct a comprehensive inspection of roof beams and framing systems, potentially identifying issues that might otherwise remain concealed until they become critical.
Lessons from a Survivor
The Hall of Justice Building's performance offers valuable insights for disaster preparedness in seismically active regions. Its reinforced concrete frame has proven remarkably resilient, while the masonry infill walls—designed as non-load-bearing elements—absorbed and displayed the earthquake's impact without compromising the building's structural integrity.
This separation of structural and non-structural elements represents sound engineering practice. The columns carry the load; the walls fill space and provide enclosure. When the earthquake struck, this division of labor meant the difference between a repairable building and a catastrophic failure.
A Race Against Time
The report's conclusion emphasizes urgency: "Coordination with the City Engineering Office is essential to fast-track the rehabilitation process." It's not just bureaucratic language. Every day that passes with compromised ceilings increases risk. Every rainfall that seeps through cracked masonry walls accelerates deterioration.
The building received the city's stamp of approval on October 2, 2025, with the document officially received by the City Engineering Office. Now the clock is ticking on implementation.
Symbol of Justice, Symbol of Resilience
There's something poetic about a Hall of Justice that refuses to fall. The building that houses Bohol's legal system has itself withstood judgment—the earth's judgment—twice. It stands as both a functional facility and a symbol: justice, like this building, must weather storms and emerge standing.
For Mayor Jane Cajes Yap, Executive Judge Lindecita Arcamo, and City Engineer Teodoro Estoque, the assessment provides both reassurance and a call to action. The building can continue serving its critical function, but only if the community invests in its rehabilitation now.
Looking Forward
As Tagbilaran City moves forward with rehabilitation plans, the Hall of Justice Building represents more than just one structure's survival. It's a case study in earthquake-resilient design, a testament to quality construction from 1991, and a reminder that buildings in seismically active regions require ongoing attention and maintenance.
The September 2025 earthquake tested Bohol once again. The Hall of Justice passed that test, but with a clear message: resilience requires not just strong initial construction, but sustained care and prompt response when damage occurs.
In the end, Engineer Loquere's report tells a story of survival with dignity, of structural integrity maintained through proper design, and of a community's responsibility to preserve the institutions that serve it. The Hall of Justice stands, scarred but unbroken, ready to dispense justice for years to come—provided the repairs begin soon.
The building has done its part. Now it's the community's turn to do theirs.
The technical assessment was prepared by Amon Rey Clavano Loquere, RMP, CE, REB, REA, a volunteer civil engineer with License No. 0110205, valid until May 4, 2029. The report was received and stamped by the City Engineering Office on October 2, 2025.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
.jpg)
Post a Comment