Following a destructive earthquake that claimed dozens of lives, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited the affected region on Thursday, pledging rapid assistance for those displaced. He candidly acknowledged the significant hurdles in delivering essential supplies like food, water, and power to the stricken communities.
The remains of a church in Daanbantayan, Philippines, on Thursday after a deadly earthquake struck earlier in the week. (Credit: Jes Aznar for The New York Times)
Magnitude and Devastation
The powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake, which struck the central Philippines late Tuesday, resulted in at least 72 confirmed deaths and nearly 300 injuries, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council’s report on Thursday.
Bogo City, located at Cebu Province’s northern tip, bore the brunt of the disaster, accounting for almost half of the fatalities. President Marcos, accompanied by other officials, toured this severely impacted area. The tremor displaced over 170,000 people and inflicted damage on at least 87 buildings, roads, bridges, and nearly 600 homes.
Residents receiving relief aid in Binabag Village, Bogo City, Philippines, on Thursday. (Credit: Jes Aznar for The New York Times)
Addressing the Shelter Crisis
While officials expressed optimism that most missing individuals had been located, search and rescue operations continued in the devastated zones, as confirmed by Junie Castillo, a civil defense spokesperson.
However, the widespread destruction of infrastructure posed considerable challenges for survivors, Mr. Marcos stated. Many buildings, including a hospital, sustained severe damage, leaving very few safe havens for those displaced.
“That is why we are having a slightly difficult time,” President Marcos told local residents. “We do not have a place to put our displaced families.”
In response, the government plans to urgently send tents to the area, similar to those deployed during the Covid-19 pandemic, to serve as temporary shelters.
“And we will then put appropriate facilities in the tent city,” he assured. “We will make sure there is food supply, water supply, electricity and, if needed, generator sets. Whatever you need, we will make sure to provide.”
President Marcos also announced that power was expected to be fully restored by the end of Thursday. Patients evacuated from the damaged hospital would be able to return once structural engineers declared the building safe.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. inspecting damage in Bogo City on Thursday. (Credit: Jes Aznar for The New York Times)
A family whose house crumbled during the earthquake, tragically killing one of their children. (Credit: Jes Aznar for The New York Times)
Villagers in Bogo City mourning the deaths of 16 people, mostly children, who perished in the earthquake on Thursday. (Credit: Jes Aznar for The New York Times)
A Nation Under Threat
The Philippines, situated on the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, is highly susceptible to natural disasters, including frequent earthquakes. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that Tuesday’s earthquake originated from an offshore fault that had been dormant for four centuries. This event marks the deadliest earthquake in the Philippines since 2013.
Adding to the tragedy, many of those impacted by this recent quake had previously relocated to the area after surviving Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. Haiyan, the strongest typhoon to make landfall in a century, claimed over 6,000 lives. Some survivors had settled in Bogo City in a special village built by a charity to resist powerful winds, yet much of it could not withstand the force of the earthquake.
Residents gathered in a makeshift shelter in Bogo City on Thursday. (Credit: Jes Aznar for The New York Times)
Patients in Bogo City receiving outdoor treatment on Thursday, after the local hospital was damaged by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake. (Credit: Jes Aznar for The New York Times)
President Marcos reiterated his commitment to the affected communities, especially in light of past criticisms regarding the handling of disaster relief funds. He vowed that his government would not abandon them in their time of need.
“We will continue to coordinate with the leaders, the local leadership, to make sure that the rehabilitation will be smooth and all the support is received,” he affirmed.