President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the government is continuing its investigation into the use of substandard construction materials, warning that more structures could be affected.
Speaking during a Kapihan in New Delhi, India on Sunday, Sept. 13, Marcos Jr. said investigators initially thought only a few cases were involved but later found that the problem could be more widespread.
“Meron pa siguro tayo mga makikita dahil tuluy-tuloy ang paghahanap natin. Noong una, akala namin iilan lang. Tapos habang tumatagal ang investigation baka mas mayroon pa pala,” he said.
“Napaka delikado n’ya kasi, dahil ginagamit ‘yung bakal eh substandard ‘yung bakal.”
The President said the investigation is also looking into how extensive the operations were and how many structures may have been built using the materials.
He said the problem is not limited to contractors, pointing out that there may also have been lapses in the inspection of steel bars and other construction materials.
“If you cannot trust your building materials, you cannot trust the building,” Marcos Jr. said.
He said the government needs to strengthen the system to ensure that construction materials leaving factories are properly inspected and meet required specifications.
While in India, Marcos Jr. also met with officials of the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, as the Philippines formally joined the group.
The coalition aims to help countries build infrastructure that can better withstand disasters and climate-related risks.IMT
