A 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao on Monday, killing at least 45 people, disaster agencies said, as tens of thousands were left homeless as the quake continued to shake the island.
In its status report dated June 9, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that 487 people were injured and 17 were still missing, as of Tuesday, 6 pm, and the numbers are still being verified.
The earthquake also affected 149,372 people in four regions, including Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, and Soccsksargen. Of this, approximately 32,464 people live in 57 evacuation centers, while another 8,973 live with relatives or friends.
The tectonic-induced earthquake, caused by rotation along the Cotabato Canal, occurred on June 8 at 7:37 am with its epicenter near Maasim, Sarangani, at a depth of 33 kilometers.
As of Wednesday, seismologists have recorded 1,738 earthquakes, ranging in magnitude from 1.3 to 6.4.
The report also noted that 2,994 houses were damaged, including 495 that were destroyed; and infrastructure damage is estimated at P15 million, and 238 buildings were reported damaged in all the affected areas.
Power outages affected 13 cities and municipalities, although services have been restored in seven areas as of Wednesday. The earthquake also caused 10 landslides, mainly in Davao Occidental and Sarangani.
Search, rescue, and recovery operations are still active, involving 3,773 personnel and 110 pieces of equipment from the military, police, coast guard and fire departments.
Government agencies and local units provided an estimated P18.4 million in food and non-food items to the affected families. Work stoppages remain at 124 affected sites as security checks continue.
The authorities have also suspended classes in 210 cities and municipalities, the Ministry of Education has commissioned engineers to check the safety of school structures before learning is allowed again.
'HITTING HARD'
President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday he inspected several centers affected by the earthquake in Mindanao, saying that engineers are checking the safety of the infrastructure of buildings with visible damage.
In General Santos City, he visited St. Elizabeth Hospital and ordered the relevant agencies to prioritize security checks in all medical facilities in the region. He also visited Romana C. Acharon Central Elementary School and General Santos National High School, and ordered an inspection of the educational infrastructure.
“We still need to make sure it's safe,” said Mr. Marcos in Filipino. “So engineers go in to check which parts of the building can still be used, which parts can no longer be used, and whether the entire building needs to be demolished.”
“The DBM (Department of Budget and Management) will provide funds, also from the LGSF, for infrastructure in the province of Sarangani and in South Cotabato, there is damage there.
The Sarangani provincial government on Wednesday placed the province under a state of emergency.
Separately, the Senate earmarked about P180 billion for reconstruction and relief efforts in Mindanao.
“When we look at our remaining budget, we have about P180 billion in funds available for reconstruction and other assistance to earthquake victims,” Senate President Pro Tempore Sherwin T. Gatchalian, former chairman of the finance committee, said in an online press conference.
He added that the NDRRMC funds have a balance of P17.8 billion, while P32 billion has been identified in the local government support fund.
Mr. Gatchalian said they are waiting for instructions from the Executive regarding the conduct of a special session in case there is an additional budget needed to deal with the effects of the earthquake.
Senator Francis Pancratius “Kiko” N. Pangilinan earlier filed a bill seeking an additional allocation of P15 billion for the reconstruction and relief of earthquake victims in Mindanao.
Meanwhile, Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio separately led the delivery of food trucks providing hot meals and relief bags to displaced residents and first responders in the areas of collapsed buildings.
Mrs. Duterte also said that she visited the dead and injured in hospitals all over Sarangani and General Santos City, overseeing the distribution of sacks of rice and boxes of food and other non-food items to the dead.
On the other hand, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said it is preparing financial assistance and emergency services for workers in the affected regions, as well as plans to establish a dedicated rescue and rapid response team to help speed up the delivery of aid.
In a press release, Labor Secretary Francis N. Tolentino said the agency is working with regional offices and the Workers' Compensation Commission (ECC) to identify affected workers and facilitate the release of aid as damage assessment and relief operations continue.
Under the existing ECC rules, affected workers may receive P15,000 in financial assistance, while families of workers who died in the earthquake may be given an additional P30,000 funeral benefit, Mr. Tolentino said.
“This week, I formed a rescue team for DoLE,” he said. “I am expanding the duties of safety and health at work to include mental health because many people have been traumatized by this incident.”
The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), on the other hand, provided P15.1 billion in emergency assistance to 608,343 members and pensioners affected by the earthquake.
The government pension fund will expedite the insurance claims of government agencies that were devastated by the earthquake, GSIS President and General Manager Jose Arnulfo “Wick” A. Veloso said in a press release on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the Social Housing Finance Corp. announced that it has suspended monthly financial cuts for communities affected by the earthquake, covering the period from June 8 to July 7.
Note that the time is subject to extension, depending on the severity of the damage. – Erika Mae P. Sinaking again Kaela Patricia B. Gabriel
