MANILA — The new building of the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) is set to begin construction inside the DOST South Complex, Bicutan in Taguig City, as officials led the groundbreaking on Monday.

The FNRI's current building is located at the DOST North Complex situated at the center of the West Valley Fault -- which is why the building and its occupants had to be transferred to a safer location, said Science Secretary Renato Solidum Jr., a geologist who headed the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) for nearly two decades.

"And organizations are very important, napakahalaga sila. Nang mamapa namin sa DOST-Phivolcs na mukhang ang West Valley Fault ay dumadaan sa Bicutan, sinuyod namin ang iba't ibang lugar dito, in particular sa DOST compound. Nakita namin na ang [FNRI] ay nakatayo on top of the West Valley Fault," Solidum told reporters.

"Hindi naman nila kasalanan na nagtayo sila ng building noong unang panahon kasi iyong knowledge about the fault ay wala pa. Pero kung titingnan natin, pagpasok niyo sa basement parking ng FNRI, biglang bagsak iyon, nandoon iyong fault."

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The 90-kilometer West Valley Fault runs through various provinces and the capital region--from the Angat reservoir in Bulacan through Quezon City, Marikina, Pasig, Makati, Taguig, Muntinlupa, Rodriguez Rizal, Cavite and ending in Calamba, Laguna.

The fault last ruptured in 1658. It moves every 400 to 600 years, the Phivolcs said.

The new DOST-FNRI building is intended to be finished in three to five years and needs P2 billion for its construction.

DOST-FNRI director Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa said she felt relieved knowing they would soon vacate the fault area--a sentiment she said she shared with the employees.

"Kung ako ang tatanungin mo, talagang nabunutan ako ng tinik. How much more with our staff, who are actually nandyan? Palagi kaming nandyan, na nagla-laboratory pa kami e may flammable agents po kami. Kung ma-shake lang iyon e ay medyo dangerous na," Angeles-Agdeppa said.

"Alam mo iyong aming fear ay medyo naibsan kami ng takot dahil alam namin, after three years baka magkakaroon na kami ng building," she added.

DOST-FNRI researches on food, nutrition, science, and technology services, its director said.

"Napakaimportante po nito kasi kami po ang nagsu-supply ng datos para sa ating mga policy makers, agencies kung ano ba talaga ang nararapat ibigay sa ating mga constituents in terms of kanilang mga programa, like supplementary feeding, iyong kanilang mensahe para sa populasyon," Angeles-Agdeppa said.

"Kung gagamitin nila iyong datos natin sa National Nutrition Survey, magiging cost effective at cost beneficial ito... kung ang ating proyekto ay science-based at saka problem-focused and area-specific... Dahil tina-target na natin kung saan iyong problema," she added.

Meanwhile, Solidum said it would also be a good decision for other agencies and even private establishments within the West Valley Fault to consider moving to other locations.

"Hindi lang naman pang-government organization, pati na rin sa mga pribadong gusali o bahay. In fact, sa ating trabaho noong una, pati mga eskwelahan na madadaanan ng West Valley Fault ay nabigyan natin ng guidance na huwag nang ituloy ang construction o plano para naman hindi maging delikado ang buhay ng mga gagamit ng gusali," he said.