The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on all local government units (LGUs) across the country to carry out comprehensive infrastructure audits—covering both public and private buildings—to help communities prepare for the threat of strong earthquakes.
In a statement, the DILG emphasized that ensuring the structural integrity of buildings is vital to public safety and to minimizing casualties and property damage in the event of major seismic activity.
Aside from inspecting key public facilities such as hospitals, schools, government offices, and emergency response centers, the agency also urged LGUs to include privately owned structures in their audits.
In 2024, the DILG partnered with several government agencies and professional organizations—including the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines and the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers—to develop the Harmonized Infrastructure Audit Tool (HIAT).
The HIAT serves as a standardized framework for assessing the resilience of structures and identifying potential vulnerabilities before disasters occur.
According to the DILG, 18 high-risk LGUs located in Metro Manila, CALABARZON, and Central Luzon—areas traversed by the West Valley Fault—have already been trained to conduct infrastructure audits.
In addition, 12 LGUs in the National Capital Region and 20 in Cavite within the fault corridor have completed their training, while 10 more LGUs in Central Luzon are expected to follow by the end of the month.
As part of the nationwide rollout, the department has also formed a corps of trained coaches composed of technical experts from professional organizations, academic institutions, and local governments representing 74 LGUs across the country.
The DILG further encouraged private sector participation through the establishment of Local Infrastructure Learning Hubs in its regional offices.
These hubs will serve as collaboration centers for LGUs, engineers, and academic institutions to support local audit teams led by mayors and composed of building officials and disaster risk management officers.