ROUGH ...

There is wisdom in the advice of Davao City’s Planning Officer Engr. Ivan Chin Cortez for property owners to be watchful of the proliferation of substandard construction materials.

Sometime during the last week of November Cortez was quoted in local news reports as warning property owners because most buildings and other vertical developments are likely the first to collapse in the event of strong earthquakes.

We believe however, that Chin should have also warned property owners of scheming and profit-hungry contractors who hoodwink their clients into allowing certain construction materials, supposedly for better quality yet less expenses for them.

There are many of them in the city especially those who are aiming at government infrastructure projects. The winning contractor then sub-contracts it to another who in turn also sub-contracts the various stages in the construction to different groups of laborers.

The finished project becomes most vulnerable to earthquakes or even floods and other natural but destructive phenomena.