A POWERFUL magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Cebu on Tuesday evening, Sept. 30, 2025, displacing families and destroying infrastructure.
The quake has resulted in dozens of deaths, hundreds of injuries and widespread destruction across several municipalities.
In a swift response, the Provincial Board (PB) convened an emergency online special session on Wednesday morning, Oct. 1, unanimously voting to place the entire province under a state of calamity to fast-track relief, recovery and rehabilitation efforts for the affected communities.
THE HUMAN TOLL. The latest data from the Provincial Government, as of Wednesday evening, showed the death toll had risen to 69, with 186 people reported injured.
An earlier situational report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office had placed the number of fatalities at 63 and the injured at 293, indicating that figures are still being consolidated as disaster response teams reach more areas. The fatalities have been heavily concentrated in northern Cebu, with Bogo City reporting 30 deaths and the municipalities of San Remigio, 22; Medellin, 10; and Sogod, one.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that the disaster has directly affected 27,375 families, comprising a total of 110,408 individuals. Thousands of displaced residents, their homes destroyed or unsafe, are now taking refuge in temporary evacuation centers.
EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. The earthquake has caused severe and extensive damage to public infrastructure. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) provided a preliminary estimate of P2 billion in damage to roads and bridges alone across seven hard-hit towns. Officials stressed that this initial figure does not yet account for the significant damage sustained by other critical structures, including hospitals, schools, churches and government buildings.
Widespread power and communication outages have crippled Bogo City and the municipalities of San Remigio, Daanbantayan, Medellin and Tabuelan, complicating rescue and relief operations. Reports from the ground confirm that landslides and collapsed structures are widespread.
The damage to the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo City was severe enough that many of its patients had to be carefully evacuated and transferred to functioning medical facilities in other districts and cities.
GOVERNMENT RESPONSE. The declaration of a state of calamity is a critical legal step that authorizes the Provincial Government to immediately access its calamity funds, impose price controls on basic necessities to prevent hoarding and accelerate all relief and rehabilitation efforts without the usual bureaucratic delays. The PB members themselves held their session online while the Cebu Provincial Legislative Building underwent a safety inspection. At the local level, more than 40 municipalities and cities suspended classes on Oct. 1 to allow for safety assessments of school buildings.
National agencies have also mobilized to support the province. DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon ordered his staff to prioritize the inspection of hospitals to expedite repairs.
“We have to assess if it’s safe, if we find out that it’s safe in one to two days then we will start immediate repair so it can be used immediately because our countrymen are pitifully staying outside,” Dizon said. “We will do it fast. We will do the assessment fast.”
He also directed the director of DPWH 7 to summon all available contractors in Cebu to assist in the massive repair and rebuilding efforts.
Following an initial aerial and ground inspection, National Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro identified food, water and electricity as the three most urgent needs for the affected population. In line with this, the DSWD, led by Secretary Rex Gatchalian, and the Office of the Civil Defense have begun distributing food packs and other essential aid.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW. While the initial P2 billion damage estimate for roads and bridges is staggering, the full financial cost of the earthquake is still unknown and is expected to be much higher. Comprehensive assessments of public buildings, private homes and businesses are still ongoing. The final casualty count may also fluctuate as communication is slowly restored and response teams clear debris from collapsed structures. Furthermore, a clear, long-term timeline for fully restoring power, communications and rebuilding entire communities has not yet been established.
WHAT’S NEXT. The immediate priority for the government is search, alongside providing for the basic needs of the displaced residents. Authorities are continuing their comprehensive damage assessments while constantly urging residents to remain vigilant for potentially strong aftershocks.
The DSWD will conduct a formal assessment to organize the distribution of financial assistance to victims whose homes were damaged or destroyed. Meanwhile, the DPWH aims to begin immediate repairs on vital infrastructure, particularly hospitals, as soon as their structural integrity is confirmed. / DPC, EHP, ANV