As I was preparing to write this column yesterday morning, a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of Manay, Davao Oriental, at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometers, according to Al Jazeera. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) immediately issued a tsunami warning, urging residents in coastal areas to evacuate to higher ground or move farther inland.
These days, videos of people’s horrifying experiences of quakes are posted on social media shortly after the incident. I saw people screaming and praying, in moments of seeming helplessness, while the person holding the camera kept recording. Indeed for many of us, earthquakes feel like the scariest of disasters.
A volcanic eruption shows warning signs, giving authorities time to raise alerts. Typhoons are tracked days ahead, so people can prepare. We can often escape fires with timely detection and clear exits. But earthquakes are different; they strike without warning. You can run to open areas, which are considered safer than buildings during a strong one. But the thing you trust most –the ground– is moving, leaving you feeling defenseless.
In Cebu, where the shaking was also felt yesterday, I saw on social media people standing outside buildings, waiting for clearance to go back in. The experience here may have felt especially unsettling, as we had just gone through a magnitude 6.9 earthquake last week, with northern Cebu hardest hit.
With that, I’d like to share this beautiful prayer posted on the GMA Public Affairs social media page two years ago: ‘O God, who set the earth on its firm foundation, spare those who are fearful and show favor to those who implore You, so that, with all dangers of earthquake entirely gone, we may continue to experience Your mercy and serve You in thankfulness, safe under Your protection. Amen.’
The tremors we have been experiencing over the past few weeks are a stark reminder that our archipelago sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire. Earthquakes occur regularly in the country, an average of about 30 ground-shaking ones daily, according to PHIVOLCS. Of these, only a fraction are strong enough for people to notice, and even fewer make the news for causing damage or posing a real threat. But still, one felt tremor is one too many.
A 2016 study by Pailoplee and Boonchaluay, published in the Geosciences Journal, identified six locations along the Manila Trench and nearby subduction zones as having a high chance of generating a major earthquake within our lifetime. These areas are close to large cities such as Taipei, Manila, Davao, and Manado in Indonesia.
In the Davao and eastern Indonesia area (including Manado), where several fault zones meet, quakes as strong as magnitude 6.8 to 7.1 could occur every five to 10 years. Meanwhile, Palawan and the Sulu Archipelago are considered ‘quiet zones’ with little to no recorded earthquake activity, according to the study.
It’s one thing to know where the next big one might hit; it’s another to know whether we’re ready when it does. A study in 2019 (Villano, et al.) found that we are moderately resilient overall but underprepared before disasters hit. Although the study focused on flood and landslide impacts, its resilience framework (coping vs. adaptive capacities) applies across hazards.
Data suggest that our biggest gap lies before a disaster strikes –that is, in strengthening homes and infrastructure, improving risk education, and securing resources– rather than after, when relief and social support often arrive. In other words, we are a resilient people, but much of that resilience comes only after disasters hit. We recover quickly through community spirit and the support of government, foreign aid, and relief groups, but we are still not well-prepared beforehand.
Another study notes that while the Philippines has one of the most comprehensive disaster laws in the region, the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 (DRRM Law), implementation remains uneven at the local level (Alcayna, et al., 2016). Many local disaster councils exist mostly on paper, often understaffed and lacking technical training.
On the positive side, according to the study, Filipino community networks and bayanihan remain powerful social safety nets, helping families cope and recover faster. Yet, experts caution that such support often fades during long-term recovery, and those outside extended family networks, such as the poorest or displaced, may be left out.