President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an immediate response from all concerned government agencies following the destructive magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Maasim, Sarangani, on Monday morning.
In a statement, Marcos also directed the suspension of classes at all levels in affected areas across Mindanao until further notice.
The president said, ‘I have directed all relevant government agencies to act immediately.’
‘The Office of Civil Defense and the NDRRMC [National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council] are now coordinating disaster response and monitoring across all affected areas,’ he also said.
Marcos said he had tasked the Department of Social Welfare and Development with pre-positioning relief goods and ensuring that evacuation centers were ready and fully operational.
The Department of Public Works and Highways is also on standby to assess damage to roads and critical infrastructure and to clear routes needed for rescue and relief operations.
‘To our kababayans in the affected provinces, please heed the tsunami warning. Move to higher ground now. Do not wait. Your life is more important than anything left behind,’ Marcos said.
‘The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind. I am in constant communication with our regional offices and local chief executives on the ground,’ he added.
The earthquake was initially reported at magnitude 7.0 but was later upgraded to 7.8 by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
It struck at 7:37 a.m., with its epicenter located approximately 125 kilometers northeast of Sarangani.