Manila, April 2 -- Many of the country's public buildings assessed by the government must undergo retrofitting, in preparation for the "Big One" or a massive earthquake, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said on Wednesday.

"So, as of today po, nakapag-assess na kami ng (we have assessed) more than 21,000 public buildings, at marami rito ay irirekumenda namin (and we will recommend many of them) for retrofitting," DPWH Undersecretary Maria Catalina Cabral said in a Palace press briefing.

Cabral said the DPWH has completed the assessment of over 124 public buildings in Metro Manila alone.

She added that there is a partnership between the DPWH and the World Bank for the retrofitting of 425 public buildings to make sure "t...