Vice President Sara Duterte is in Cebu until October 2 to visit communities affected by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit the province, her office announced Wednesday night. ‘Vice President Sara Z. Duterte is currently in Cebu province to extend her sympathies to those affected by the earthquake,’ the Office of the Vice President (OVP) said in an advisory.
The OVP said Duterte will remain in Cebu until Thursday to visit the areas affected by the tremor.
In a separate video statement, Duterte offered her condolences to the families affected by the quake, urging them not to lose faith despite the hardship they experienced.
‘I know that the pain you feel and the hardships you now face are beyond measure. Yet, in the midst of the destruction left by this tragedy in your families and communities, may you never lose faith and hope,’ Duterte said in Bisaya.
‘May you become sources of strength, kindness, and inspiration to all,’ she added.
She then extended her prayers to the communities in Cebu and nearby provinces, hoping for their safety and enduring resilience amid the continued aftershocks being experienced in the area.
‘May you find strength in one another, and may the legendary Visayan warmth and resilience shine through amidst this deep sorrow,’ she said.
Duterte went to Cebu after she ordered the OVP’s satellite offices to provide assistance to those affected by the earthquake.
Her trip also coincides with the House of Representatives’ plenary debates for the OVP’s proposed budget for 2026, which was postponed for the second time until Thursday after she – or an official of the appropriate level – failed to appear before the plenary. House Deputy Majority Leader Arnan Panaligan earlier said that tomorrow is the last chance for the OVP to defend its proposed budget as Thursday is the House’s last day for its plenary debates.