Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited the devastated sites of this week’s deadly earthquake on Thursday. He pledged immediate aid to the affected communities but openly acknowledged the immense challenges in providing food, water, and electricity to the thousands left homeless.
The powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake, which struck the central Philippines late Tuesday, has claimed at least 72 lives and left nearly 300 injured, according to Thursday’s report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Bogo City, located on the northern tip of Cebu Province, bore the brunt of the disaster, accounting for nearly half of the casualties. President Marcos and other officials visited the city, where the tremor displaced over 170,000 residents, severely damaging 87 buildings, numerous roads and bridges, and almost 600 homes.
While rescue teams tirelessly searched the wreckage, officials expressed optimism on Thursday that the majority of those initially reported missing had now been located, confirmed Junie Castillo, a civil defense spokesman.
However, the destruction of critical infrastructure poses significant hurdles for survivors, President Marcos stated. With numerous buildings, including the main hospital, severely compromised, adequate shelter for displaced residents remains a critical issue.
During his tour, President Marcos acknowledged the severe challenges, noting, ‘That is why we are having a slightly difficult time. We do not have a place to put our displaced families,’ according to official transcripts from his office.
To address the immediate housing crisis, the government will swiftly deploy emergency tents to the area, similar to those utilized during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, President Marcos announced.
He further assured residents, ‘We will then establish proper facilities within these tent cities, ensuring access to food, water, electricity, and even generator sets if required. Whatever you need, we will make sure to provide.’
President Marcos promised that power would be fully restored by Thursday’s end. Patients evacuated from the damaged hospital are also expected to return indoors once structural engineers deem the building safe.
The Philippines, a nation frequently hit by natural disasters, lies within the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that Tuesday’s earthquake was triggered by an offshore fault, previously dormant for four centuries. This event marks the deadliest earthquake to hit the Philippines since 2013.
Tragically, many residents impacted by this recent quake had previously relocated to the area after the devastating Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which killed over 6,000 people. Having lost everything to Haiyan – the most powerful typhoon to make landfall in a century – some rebuilt their lives in a specially designed village in Bogo City, meant to endure extreme winds. Unfortunately, these new structures proved vulnerable to the earthquake’s force.
Facing past accusations of mismanaging relief funds, President Marcos sought to reassure villagers and all those impacted by the disaster that his government would not abandon them, promising full support for their recovery.
He emphasized his commitment, stating, ‘We will continue to coordinate closely with local leaders to ensure that the rehabilitation process is seamless and that all necessary support reaches those who need it most.’