An Open Letter to Jee Y. Geronimo of RAPPLER.COM, or Why Is PSBA Manila Accepting Students This Semester?

Peace.

In reference to +Jee Y. Geronimo 's articles about PSBA Quezon City on RAPPLER.COM, the last on 10/17/2013, we have a new chapter in the works. In the light of recent earthquake in Bohol, headlines about earthquake preparedness and renewed interest in the safety of structures, PSBA is once more trying to make news.

We begin with Article VI, Section 26 of the Manual of Regulations for Private Higher Education, taken from ched.gov.ph.

1)    For Safety

To ensure the safety of the students while in the premises, all higher education institutions are enjoined strictly to observe and follow the applicable provisions of Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1185, otherwise known as the “Fire Code”, and PD No. 1059, otherwise known as the “National Building Code”.

The Regional Offices are authorized to evaluate and monitor compliance by institutions to the said Presidential Decrees, and to report in writing any violations thereof to the Commission.

Any higher institution found guilty, after due process, for violations of any provisions of the aforementioned laws, shall be dealt with accordingly, which may include the revocation of permits and/or authority to operate and/or offer courses.

Please read the pictures below (so that the names and signatures are verifiable as public documents) of a memorandum for Engr. +Juan Ramon Capuchino, Officer-in-Charge in the City of Manila Department of Engineering and Public Works, Office of the Building Official, and a letter to the School Administrator of PSBA Manila.

In sum, PSBA Manila has no building permits to speak of, being originally a four storey building that now has seven floors, the additions having no approval from the Office of the Engineer nor the Office of the Building Official. The absence of building and occupancy permits are violations of the required documents by CHED in order to establish a school – leaving one to question how PSBA Manila has operated all these years. Three missing or questionable documents, and from three good offices, too –  City of Manila Department of Engineering and Public Works, the Office of the Building Official, and the Commission on Higher Education – without which PSBA Manila would never have been able to operate.

The good news is that no significant cracks or defects were noticed during the building inspection. But the low ceiling height on the second floor is an outright violation of the Building Code – however, given that there were no building permits in the first place, maybe you could see it as kind of understandable.

Still, the letter from Engr. Juan R. Capuchino to PSBA Manila gives no time frame at all for the school to remedy any of the  shortcomings found during the inspection, and more importantly, the Commission on Higher Education is not even informed of the hazard that is PSBA Manila.

Rumor has it that a fire inspection is on its way to PSBA Manila as well, the city mayor really being serious about Manila's preparedness. If you have ever been to the school, you would know that this is the real concern.

Given the recent headlines, all of this may just be boardroom politics at work – but the safety of a student population should always weigh heavier than that. Even without an earthquake in sight, PSBA Manila could be the first one to fall.

On a final note, if PSBA Manila has been faking it all these years, the real question is how many other schools could have done away with these simple but basic CHED or DEPED requirements in the past?

Hoping you will know what to do with this information,

PSBAQC


Addendum: Because of the closure publication of a duplicitous and illegal Board of Directors at PSBA Manila, an odd twenty or so students from PSBA QC have transferred to the Manila campus. Had these students known of the state of PSBA Manila, they would have certainly stayed in the campus where they would have been safer.

Also, in case PSBA Manila is allowed to continue operations even with these glaring violations, the situation is a sure class suit waiting to happen. As it is, the present students, faculty and staff already have a pretty good case in their hands.