An Italian architect who grew up in a country infamous for its frequent earthquakes and old Roman structures has said that, following the deadly tremor in Visayas, local architects and builders should now incorporate earthquake-proof principles when building structures in the country.

Romolo V. Nati, Executive Chairman and CEO of the Italian-Filipino firm Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corporation (ITPI), said that Italy and the Philippines have many similarities when it comes to natural calamities, particularly volcanic activity and earthquakes, which is why the two countries can learn from each other in terms of construction. “For Italians, building quake-proof structures is not just an option. Every time we design in Italy, we have to consider that we are building something in an earthquake-prone country,” said Nati, who took up architecture and graduated summa cum laude from La Sapienza University in Rome. Nati now calls the Philippines his home, having set up ITPI with partner Atty. Jojo Leviste in 2009 and building a 10-story condominium building in Cagayan de Oro City. Primavera Residences is the only sustainable building in Mindanao. ITPI is an affiliate of the renewable energy firm Constellation Energy Corp.

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– Featured on Manila Bulletin, 13 November 2013