Late Tuesday, a powerful earthquake struck the Philippines, severely impacting a village that was originally established over a decade ago to offer secure housing for those who survived Super Typhoon Haiyan.
According to Wilson Ramos, an emergency worker, at least 10 individuals perished in this single village. This contributes to the confirmed death toll of 69 across Cebu Province, the epicenter of the 6.9-magnitude tremor.
“This community was specifically designed to protect typhoon survivors and relocate residents from dangerous areas,” Ramos explained. He added, “While it’s unclear if the recent victims were also Haiyan survivors, given that over a decade has passed, this place was meant to be their new, safe home.”
With many still missing, the Philippine Office of Civil Defense reported that rescue teams expanded their search on Wednesday, desperately looking for individuals buried beneath collapsed structures. In response to the devastation, Governor Pamela Baricuatro declared a state of emergency for all of Cebu Province, located approximately 350 miles south of Manila.
During a press briefing, Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro, a deputy administrator for the civil defense office, confirmed that rescue operations are concentrated on Cebu’s northernmost tip, specifically Bogo City, where the survivor village was built in 2014.
Established with charity funding, the village aimed to provide 200 “disaster-resilient homes” to those affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda (also known as Haiyan) in 2013, a catastrophic event that claimed over 6,000 lives. Its purpose was also to resettle individuals from high-risk coastal areas.
However, when the earthquake struck, many ceilings tragically caved in, contributing significantly to the high number of fatalities, as reported by Mikee Empaces, the executive secretary in the governor’s office.
Jeany Ynot, who heads Bogo City’s disaster unit, heartbreakingly noted that some families were entirely wiped out, while others lost multiple members.
SM Cares, the philanthropic division of a major Philippine corporation, was responsible for establishing the village. They had not yet responded to a request for comment as of Wednesday evening.
Beyond the village, numerous residents were tragically engulfed by soil and massive boulders in a landslide triggered by the quake. The mountainous community of Binabag suffered particularly severe damage, according to Ms. Ynot.
During the news conference, Mr. Alejandro reiterated, “Our immediate focus is on search and rescue operations.”
“Numerous individuals are believed to be trapped under debris following the earthquake,” he emphasized.
Mr. Alejandro also stated that his office requested more staff for the Bogo City district hospital, which is currently struggling with an influx of patients.
Authorities have confirmed extensive infrastructure damage throughout the region, including at least 11 unusable bridges, roads rendered impassable by landslides, and several government structures — such as Bogo City Hall, another municipal hall, and a sports complex — either partially or completely destroyed.
Ms. Empaces further reported that two to three hospitals were no longer operational, and power and communication services were disrupted in at least three municipalities.
Public works teams are being deployed to Cebu to assess building safety, with instructions to prioritize hospitals, schools, and critical roadways, Mr. Alejandro stated.
“Our immediate goals are to restore electricity and guarantee the structural integrity of buildings,” he emphasized.
In Bogo City alone, roughly 1,000 residents are sheltering in open areas while awaiting safety inspections of their homes, Mr. Alejandro noted.
This earthquake marks the most severe in the Philippines since a major tremor hit Bohol in 2013.