President Marcos extended his condolences yesterday to the families of those who died in the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck Bogo City, Cebu on Tuesday night.
‘My heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones, and my prayers go out to those who were injured and all those affected by the earthquake,’ the President said.
The earthquake, which hit the city at 9:59 p.m., left more than 60 people dead and caused widespread damage across the province.
While visiting typhoon-hit Masbate, Marcos said Cabinet members had already been deployed to Cebu to fast-track relief and restore essential services.
The Department of Public Works and Highways is inspecting roads and bridges for structural damage, while the Department of Energy is working to restore electricity in affected areas.
The Department of Health has dispatched additional medical personnel to assist hospitals, while the Bureau of Fire Protection is participating in search and rescue operations. Philippine National Police personnel are also on the ground to maintain order.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Office of Civil Defense and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council joined forces to ensure the quick distribution of food and relief items.
According to the Presidential Communications Office, the DSWD has P379 million in standby funds and over 2.4 million family food packs prepositioned nationwide.
The DBM, for its part, has instructed agencies to activate their quick response funds, which serve as emergency resources to finance immediate disaster relief and recovery.
Vice President Sara Duterte offered prayers for those affected.
House Speaker Faustino Dy III expressed his sympathies.
Some senators who expressed solidarity and urged immediate aid deployment were Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Senators Francis Escudero, Risa Hontiveros and Joel Villanueva.
Foreign ambassadors in the country also offered aid.
‘The US embassy community offers our deepest condolences to those affected by the earthquake in Cebu. Our thoughts and prayers are with all affected. We stand ready to support the government’s response as #FriendsPartnersAllies,’ US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said.
‘We mourn the loss of lives and we stand with those who are grieving, injured or displaced. Canada stands ready to coordinate closely with Philippine government agencies, humanitarian partners and the international community to help meet urgent needs,’ the Canadian embassy posted on X.
Aside from Carlson and the Canadian embassy, European Union Ambassador Massimo Santoro, Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya, Australian Ambassador Marc Innes-Brown and the Embassy of India also extended their sympathies to the victims and their families.