A FAMILY in Medellin, northern Cebu, severely traumatized by the recent magnitude 6.9 earthquake, was rescued on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025, after attempting to take their own lives.
Neighbors alerted authorities, who intervened at the family’s church in Sitio Lipata, Barangay Gibitngil, where the father was found with a self-inflicted slash wound to his neck. The family members, including children and a pregnant woman, were described as very weak after refusing food and water for over a week.
The family belongs to the Christ the King Church, a religious sect based in the island barangay.
A SPIRAL OF DESPAIR. According to the Gibitngil Barangay Captain Monina Monato, the family’s mental state deteriorated sharply after the earthquake on Tuesday night, Sept. 30. Since Oct. 1, they had stopped eating and drinking, believing this act would save them from sin.
Monato, who is related to the family, said her relatives reportedly threw relief goods into the sea, barricaded themselves inside their church with benches and were heard constantly praying and screaming. Neighbors observed them rolling on the ground outside the church, shouting that “the Lord is coming back.”
“They were always praying, shouting that the Lord is coming back,” she said in Cebuano. “Even the pregnant woman was forced to stay under the sun for hours. They looked very weak.”
After being rescued, the family was taken to a hospital in Bogo City for treatment. However, they remained highly agitated and insisted on returning to the islet, a request that the doctors permitted. Upon arriving home, their distress continued as they became restless and resumed shouting.
There were conflicting reports on the exact number of family members involved. An initial report based on police accounts stated that 12 people were rescued, including a father, his wife, their children and other relatives.
However, the Provincial Health Office provided a different count. Capitol health consultant Dr. Nicole Ellise Catalan said on Thursday, Oct. 9, that the group consisted of nine individuals.
Ang immediate family (father, mother, children) kay seven ra gyud ang reported to us. Last report sa amo nine na total ang niapil, including uncles, now exhibiting psychiatric concerns,” the consultant said.
(The immediate family (father, mother, children) were only seven reported to us. The last report to us was a total of nine who participated, including uncles, now exhibiting psychiatric concerns.)
THE BIGGER PICTURE. The family’s experience illustrates a well-documented consequence of natural disasters: severe mental and emotional distress. Experts at the American Psychological Association explain that such events can leave behind “invisible wounds” that, if unaddressed, can escalate into a mental health crisis.
This trauma often begins as acute stress disorder, the mind’s initial shock characterized by nightmares, flashbacks, and emotional numbness within the first month after the event. If these symptoms persist for more than a month, the condition can evolve into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a more serious state that can leave a person feeling constantly anxious and detached from life, according to the US National Center for PTSD. The World Health Organization (WHO) also notes that entire communities can suffer from collective trauma, eroding social bonds.
Early warning signs include sleeplessness, constant irritability and unexplained headaches. While these are normal stress reactions, they become a crisis when they interfere with daily life, according to a report from the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
FIRST AID. The recommended initial response is not formal therapy but psychological first aid (PFA), an approach endorsed by the WHO. PFA involves providing basic emotional comfort and practical support, such as listening without judgment and helping survivors connect with loved ones.
The Mandaue City Government, for its part, has deployed its psychosocial response team to northern Cebu, extending its help to affected residents by providing PFA and stress debriefing sessions. Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano said the team has assisted 105 adults and 25 children in Bogo City and has continued its efforts in Tabogon.
ROAD TO HEALING. The family members from Gibitngil have returned to their home under close observation. Catalan said authorities were prepared to take any member into custody should they show a tendency to harm themselves or others.
The case has been referred to the Medellin municipal health officer for higher-level psychiatric intervention. Doctors and psychologists visited the family on Thursday morning to provide care.
Dr. Oliver Jimenez, Medellin’s municipal health officer, said the Monato family was referred for higher-level psychiatric care and ongoing community monitoring.
“The important thing now is to ensure they are safe, hydrated, and surrounded by calm, familiar faces,” he said.
Monato said she hopes the family receives long-term care.
“They are good people,” she said. “They just couldn’t handle what happened.”
This single, tragic event underscores the profound and lasting impact of the recent earthquake. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported on Thursday that the death toll has risen to 74, with 559 injured. The quake affected nearly 190,000 families across 251 barangays, destroyed almost 5,000 homes and left the province of Cebu under a state of calamity. / GPL, CDF, ABC, TPM