You wouldn’t think there’d be an etiquette for emergencies such as an earthquake, but people’s actions in the aftermath of the temblor last Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, point to the need for one.
The quake’s aftermath showed us that spreading disinformation, taking photos of yourself handing out relief goods and posting them online, or scamming people out of their donations is not cool.
An earthquake etiquette would outline accepted social behaviors when such an emergency strikes, because in the hours and days after last Tuesday’s tremors, there were acts that violated any sense of decency.
This is not about the “duck, cover, and hold” earthquake safety protocol. This is about what we do after the shaking stops. That we ask neighbors, family and friends after the earthquake how they were and if they needed help. In addition, I would like to see in an earthquake etiquette the following:
That misinformation or disinformation is not acceptable. Some posts warned of an aftershock “stronger than the first” at a specific hour. The quick reaction to a social media post showing water supposedly receding under the Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway was a good example of how to counter false information. After the Cebu City disaster office declared the photo “fake news” two hours after the quake, netizens shared the clarification, and others corrected their earlier posts.
This was important because the photo caused panic among those near the coastline, reviving fears of a “Chona Mae” incident, in reference to the false tsunami alert that created chaos on Cebu streets after the 2012 earthquake.
That if you want to help, you don’t have to announce it. The dire situation of the earthquake victims in northern Cebu necessitated help from the government and the community. Well-intentioned individuals gathered resources and took photos of them with the victims and the food packs, water, or tents being donated. For documentation purposes, yes, but some posts come out on social media for clout, for influence, or to get engagement that could mean revenue for them from the platforms.
That you should never use the call for donations to enrich yourself, to trick people into putting money in your pocket. The Archdiocese of Cebu issued a scam alert last Friday against people using the name of newly installed Archbishop Alberto “Abet” Uy to solicit monetary aid. Cebu City Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña also warned against a Facebook post seeking donations via a personal digital wallet supposedly for quake victims. His advice was to donate only through the local government unit or legitimate organizations.
Many other rules could fall under earthquake etiquette or a set of expected and accepted behaviors in an emergency. Stay calm, move to safety, check on others and avoid spreading panic.
If these rules are shared and understood, we’ll know what to do not just when the ground shakes again, but when our shared humanity is tested once more.