More than 2,300 Department of Public Works and Highways engineers have received specialized training intended to strengthen the government’s capacity to assess and retrofit public buildings against earthquake risks—an issue examined in WVF’s special report, The Big One Is Not the Biggest Threat—Our Buildings Are.
The nationwide online seminar was conducted on August 14, 2026, by the DPWH Human Resources and Administrative Services and Oriental Consultants Global. A project report published on September 11 said the activity reached 2,312 engineers from the DPWH Central Office, Unified Project Management Offices, and 176 regional and district engineering offices.
The training covered seismic-hazard and structural-vulnerability assessment, retrofitting technologies, procurement, construction supervision, quality assurance, defect prevention, and post-construction monitoring. These construction-quality concerns also intersect with the Philippines’ updated PNS 49:2026 reinforcing-steel standard.
The seminar forms part of the World Bank-supported Philippines Seismic Risk Reduction and Resilience Project. Oriental Consultants Global reported that 172 public schools and health facilities are scheduled for seismic retrofitting through 2028 under the project. WVF previously examined the project’s earlier implementation challenges in Metro Manila’s Earthquake Shield.
The initiative moves earthquake preparedness beyond drills and public-awareness campaigns by building the technical capacity needed to strengthen critical government infrastructure. Schools and health facilities are particularly important because they must protect occupants during earthquakes while remaining functional for emergency response and community recovery. Families can also review the hazards that may surround a child’s school.
The training figures and planned number of facilities were reported by the project consultant. Completion and implementation progress for individual retrofitting projects should be monitored separately.
Source: Oriental Consultants Global project report
Stay Prepared with WVF
For continuing earthquake and disaster preparedness news content, join the WestValleyFault.com email list.
As a welcome gift, you’ll also receive our FREE Earthquake Quick Start Guide.
- ✔ Weekly Earthquake Intelligence Report
- ✔ Exclusive Special Reports
- ✔ Practical preparedness tips
- ✔ FREE Earthquake Quick Start Guide
Recommended Reading
- The Big One Is Not the Biggest Threat—Our Buildings Are
- Metro Manila’s Earthquake Shield: A World Bank-Funded Project in Limbo
- What Hazards Surround Your Child’s School?
- DILG to Collaborate on New Earthquake Assessment Tool for Buildings
- Why the Philippines Changed Its Rebar Standard
Leave a Reply