TWO days after a powerful magnitude 6.9 earthquake devastated northern Cebu, the search for survivors has officially given way to the enormous challenge of recovery. With all missing persons now accounted for, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered a strategic shift in the government’s focus from search and retrieval to comprehensive relief and rehabilitation, signaling a new phase in the response to a disaster that has claimed more than lives and caused an estimated P3 billion in damages.
This pivot marks a critical juncture for the province, moving from immediate life-saving operations to addressing the urgent humanitarian needs of over 300,000 affected residents and laying the groundwork for rebuilding shattered communities.
What happened
On Tuesday night, Sept. 30, 2025, the earthquake struck northern Cebu, with its epicenter near Bogo City. The quake triggered widespread damage to infrastructure, including roads, bridges, ports and homes. It also led to power disruptions across the region. In the immediate aftermath, rescue teams scrambled to locate dozens of individuals reported missing amid the rubble of collapsed structures.
Why the shift
By Thursday, Oct. 2, authorities confirmed that the search and retrieval phase had concluded. “All missing individuals have been accounted for, so our focus is now on relief and rehabilitation,” said Brig. Gen. Randulf Tuaño, chief of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Public Information Office.
The government’s priority is now twofold: ensuring a steady flow of aid to displaced families and securing affected areas to prevent potential looting. To support this, the PNP has mobilized 2,250 officers, augmented by forces from neighboring regions, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Coast Guard.
The scale of the damage
The earthquake has had a severe human impact. According to the latest figures reported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council at 5 p.m., there have been 68 confirmed fatalities, with the highest concentrations in Bogo City, San Remigio, and Medellin. The number of injured persons has increased to 563 across several municipalities.
The disaster has severely disrupted the lives of 349,387 individuals from 88,718 families. Furthermore, over 500 homes sustained damage, and 96 were completely destroyed, leaving numerous families without shelter. The preliminary damage estimate for public infrastructure has reached P3 billion. Consequently, the entire province has been placed under a state of calamity.
How much aid is coming in
President Marcos pledged P405 million in immediate support for Cebu:
P180 million from the Office of the President for provincial and municipal governments, with allocations ranging from P10 million to P50 million.
P225 million from the Local Government Support Fund to help Cebu province and Bogo City in particular.
P20 million for Department of Health-run hospitals and P5 million for each provincial hospital in the hardest-hit fourth district.
This comes against an estimated P3 billion worth of damage to roads, bridges and ports, according to provincial officials.
But the relief effort isn’t just about national funding. On the ground, thousands of volunteers and donors are filling the gaps.
Around 3,500 volunteers trooped to the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Thursday to repack and load relief goods, after an estimated 8,000 had shown up the previous day. The Command Center had to temporarily halt new sign-ups, citing safety concerns after two volunteers collapsed from exhaustion.
By noon Thursday, more than 113,000 relief items — drinking water, rice, food packs, hygiene kits, medical supplies — had already been deployed to Bogo, Medellin, Tabogon, Daanbantayan, and San Remigio. The items were valued at roughly P1 million, with P115,557.10 in cash donations also recorded.
Local governments are also pitching in:
Cebu City approved P20 million in financial aid for northern towns and deployed medical teams, ambulances and disaster responders.
Lapu-Lapu City gave P2.2 million and sent a search and rescue team to Bogo.
Naga City donated P1 million to Bogo.
Danao City deployed water tankers.
Bohol Province pledged P5 million and sent medical teams.
General Santos City released P8 million for affected towns.
Davao City sent 5,000 food packs and other non-food items.
Pasig City will send search and rescue teams, engineers, and psychosocial experts.
The private sector and individuals have joined in too: local media organizations launched donation drives, actress Kim Chiu donated housing materials, singer Zsa Zsa Padilla distributed food and cash, and Cebuano vloggers contributed food for quake victims.
What about power and basic services
Electricity restoration was underway, with Aboitiz Power and East Asia Utilities reconnecting facilities to the grid. The Department of Energy said Bogo City would have full power back by Thursday, though 58 areas across the Visayas still face outages. Hospitals have also been re-cleared for safe use after inspections.
Water systems remain fragile. The Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) reported broken pipes in Bogo, Daanbantayan, Tabuelan and Medellin, disrupting service to some 300,000 consumers. The National Irrigation Administration will help restart pumps before the full damage can be assessed. LWUA chief Jose Moises Salonga warned more leaks may appear but assured funds are available to rebuild the networks.
What’s next
Cebu Province has been placed under a state of calamity, allowing faster release of funds and easier access to emergency resources. Classes and work in government offices remain suspended in badly hit areas.
For the tens of thousands displaced, the immediate concerns are food, shelter and power. Longer-term, the challenge will be rebuilding lives and infrastructure in towns like Bogo, San Remigio and Medellin — where both human loss and structural damage have been heaviest. / DPC, TPM, KOC, CAV, EHP, PNA