THE number of affected families in the 6.9 offshore northern Cebu earthquake has reached 155,094 or 547,394 people as of Monday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported.
The earthquake affected 205 barangay in Cebu’s 16 cities and towns, the NDRRMC said in its Situation Report on the effects of the Cebu earthquake released Monday morning.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it has identified the Bogo Bay Fault from which the strong earthquake originated, and recommended a five-meter zone of avoidance from the trace of the fault or edge of the deformation zone.
Phivolcs said a total of 7,092 aftershocks occurred as of 10 a.m. Monday, of which 31 was strongly felt.
The killer quake, which generated an Intensity VII earth-shaking event, was a first in northern Cebu.
So far, 72 people have been reported killed and 559 others injured, mostly in Bogo City, which is nearest to the earthquake’s epicenter.
The NDRRMC said 35,925 houses and government infrastructures were damaged. These include government facilities, bridges, cultural heritage, health facilities, schools, utility services facilities, roads, and flood control structures.
The NDRRMC said eight road sections and 16 bridge sections were damaged, while operation of three seaports was affected.
The NDRRMC said electricity in 43 cities and towns affected have been restored.
A total of P93.5 million in assistance has been provided to affected communities so far.
Tent cities
PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. said evacuation ‘tent cities’ are now being set up in Cebu to shelter residents displaced by the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that struck the province on Sept. 30, ‘with the help of Dick Gordon and the Red Cross. They’ve been very, very, very helpful,’ Marcos said in Episode 5 of his ‘Bagong Pilipinas Podcast,’ released Monday.
The President earlier ordered the immediate establishment of temporary shelters to house families whose homes were destroyed or deemed unsafe due to quake damage.
The national government has allotted P375 million for response and relief operations in Cebu, with PHP150 million coursed through the Local Government Support Fund and P75 million earmarked for Bogo City, one of the hardest-hit areas.
As of the latest reports, 72 people were confirmed dead, while around 450,000 individuals have been affected, prompting government and humanitarian agencies to provide food packs, potable water, medical services, and shelter assistance.
Marcos stressed the importance of swift and sustained disaster response, saying aid must continue until communities are stabilized.
‘In government, the best that we can do is really to be prepared, as prepared as we can possibly be, and move very, very quickly,’ he said.
The Chief Executive said his approach is guided by the plight of families and children in calamity areas.
‘You cannot wait. Don’t do it later, do it now, do it now, do it now,’ Marcos emphasized.
He also cautioned against letting public attention fade once media coverage subsides, stressing that communities continue to suffer long after the headlines move on.
‘The challenge with almost all disasters, especially globally, is that the moment they get shunted out of the headlines or the news, what’s happening there, and that there are people still suffering, still trying to recover. That’s why I made it very clear when I went to both Masbate and Cebu. I said this is not a one-time thing. We’re here. We’re going to stay here until everyone is more or less in a stable condition,’ Marcos said.
Policemen help in shelter operations
POLICEMENT in Cebu have started assisting in the ongoing shelter operations for families displaced by the recent magnitude 6.9 earthquake in the province.
The National Police (PNP) acting Chief, Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., said in a briefing on Monday that officers from the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) took part in a pre-installation demonstration led by the Philippine Red Cross on the setup of tents at the ‘Tent City’ in Bogo City on Sunday.
The activity was conducted to enhance coordination between the police and humanitarian workers and to ensure the safe, organized, and efficient installation of temporary shelters for residents displaced by the recent earthquake.
‘Our police personnel are working hand in hand with humanitarian partners to ensure that families affected by the earthquake are accommodated in safe and dignified conditions,’ Nartatez said.
As part of the NDRRMC response framework, the PNP continues to provide manpower, mobility, and security assistance to local government units and humanitarian agencies in areas affected by the powerful earthquake that struck northern Cebu on Sept. 30, claiming at least 72 lives and displacing hundreds of families.
The PNP has also deployed additional personnel to assist in traffic management, security in evacuation sites, and the transport of relief supplies. Police visibility and patrol operations have been intensified in affected communities to deter opportunistic crimes and maintain public confidence amid ongoing aftershocks.
Nartatez commended police personnel for contributing in the ‘gradual restoration of normalcy’ in the province as he assured continuous coordination for smooth response to the affected residents.
‘We are coordinating with the local government units, particularly the Provincial Government of Cebu, to map out ways to facilitate and expedite the distribution of assistance down to the farthest affected barangays,’ said Nartatez.
Zero focused crimes
NARTATEZ said no focused crimes recorded in Cebu province from October 1 to 5 following the earthquake.
Focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft and carjacking.
‘In fact one commendable thing is nandoon na rin sa mga kababayan natin na ang talagang mga Pilipino mga peace-loving lalung-lalo na sa Cebu [Filipinos are peace-loving, especially Cebuanos].zero recorded crimes,’ Nartatez told reporters in a press briefing held at Camp Crame on Monday.
Nartatez assured that the peace and order situation in northern Cebu remains generally peaceful and under control, with no reported incidents of looting or disorder.
Air Force on relief missions
TRANSPORT aircraft and personnel from the Air Force (PAF)’s Tactical Operations Wing Central showed their mettle as they conducted humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) missions over the weekend for quake-affected communities in Northern Cebu.
PAF aircraft staged out from Brigadier General Benito N. Ebuen Air Base (BGBNEAB_), Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, the Air Force spokesperson, Col. Ma. Christina Basco, said.
‘The mission involved the air transport of essential relief goods from Cotabato City to BGBNEAB using Fokker and NC212i aircraft, providing immediate aid to residents affected by the recent earthquake in Bogo City, Cebu,’ she added.
An S-70i ‘Black Hawk’ helicopter was also deployed to deliver family food packs and boxes of drinking water from the Provincial Government of Cebu, which were loaded at BGBNEAB and airlifted to Carnaza Island.
The operation was successfully executed through the combined efforts of PAF personnel and Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets from the Philippine State College of Aeronautics who assisted in the loading of relief goods.
‘This humanitarian mission highlights the Armed Forces’ steadfast commitment to supporting national and local government disaster response initiatives, ensuring that timely assistance reaches communities in need,’ Basco said.
Customs donates goods
THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Monday turned over abandoned and forfeited goods to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to be donated to the victims of the deadly Sept. 30 earthquake in Cebu.
In a statement, Customs Commissioner Ariel Nepomuceno said the OCD will handle the distribution of the donated items to the affected families, ensuring their fast delivery.
‘In moments like this, every donation can make a difference for our countrymen who have lost their homes and security,’ Nepomuceno said.
A send-off ceremony was held Monday morning at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City.
The donation, which came mostly from the Manila International Container Port (MICP), included 56 pieces of rapid emergency tents and 1,087 pieces of assorted tents to serve as temporary shelters, 50 units of mobile power supply to provide electricity in affected areas, and one bio-toilet unit to ensure proper sanitation for displaced residents.
Nepomuceno said the donated items were declared abandoned and subsequently forfeited in favor of the government.
Aside from the forfeited items, the BOC also donated over 100 sacks of rice to support food assistance efforts in the earthquake-affected areas.
Nepomuceno, who previously served as undersecretary of the Department of National Defense and administrator of the OCD, said the partnership highlights the coordination of government agencies to maximize resources and deliver timely support during emergencies.
For his part, MICP District Collector Rizalino Jose Torralba expressed his full support for the initiative, reaffirming the port’s commitment to utilizing abandoned and forfeited goods for the benefit of the public.
‘The Manila International Container Port stands in full support of the BOC’s thrust to transform abandoned goods into opportunities for service. Through this donation, we hope to extend help and bring comfort to our fellow Filipinos in Cebu who are recovering from this calamity,’ he said.