via The Philippine Star, 09 September 2023: Typhoon Odette significantly damaged heritage structures in Bohol, undermining years of restoration and posing challenges for the preservation of vulnerable ancestral homes.
The intensity and damage caused by typhoons are a cause of concern as the planet warms, especially for heritage structures. Professor Marianito Luspo of Holy Names University remarked that “it must be recalled that there had been several strong typhoons that visited the province [Bohol] since 1969, but they never caused the same level of destruction as Odette. This could be due to climate change. Old structures are just not built to withstand these.”
An assessment report of the damage from the typhoon was commissioned by the International Council on Monuments and Sites of the Philippines (ICOMOS Philippines). The team was composed of ICOMOS Trustee Erik Akpedonu and Petro Jikken, Inc., a structural engineering firm led by Dr. Rodolfo P. Mendoza Jr., engineer Kenneth Roi P. Toral, and engineer Joaquin Miguel P. Ramos. They conducted an on-the-ground investigation from March 21 to 24, 2022.
Source: Rebounding Bohol: A testing ground for disaster resiliency • l!fe • The Philippine Star
