DAVAO CITY — The DPWH is speeding up repairs of infrastructure damaged by the October 10 earthquakes in Davao Oriental.
DPWH Secretary Vince Dizon visited the hardest-hit areas to assess repairs on hospitals, schools, and government buildings.
During the inspection, Dizon directed DPWH personnel to implement round-the-clock operations to ensure the immediate restoration of these facilities without compromising construction quality.
He said that restoring these infrastructures is essential to resuming public services that have been disrupted or limited due to structural damage.
“Basta lahat ng public facilities na kailangan natin i-repair, ang sabi ni Pangulo bilisan na natin ang pagre-repair at kailangan tibayan (As the President instructed, we must expedite the repair of all essential public facilities and ensure that they are rebuilt stronger),” Dizon said.
He said, “Kailangan mabilis ang pag-build back natin kasi kawawa naman ‘yung mga kababayan natin. Lalo na ‘yung mga critical facilities natin kailangan bilisan na ‘yan (We need to speed up our rebuilding efforts because our fellow citizens are suffering. We must especially fast-track the repair of our critical facilities).”
Accompanied by Davao Oriental Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang and other local officials, Dizon inspected the ongoing repair works at the Evaristo Moralizon National Vocational High School and the municipal hall in Manay.
The Secretary also proceeded to Cateel to personally assess the condition of the Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital and monitor its ongoing rehabilitation efforts.
The series of earthquakes that struck Davao Oriental caused extensive damage to critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public buildings. According to a recent report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), total infrastructure damage in the Davao Region has reached over ₱310 million, affecting 772 facilities across Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, Davao City, and Davao del Sur.
A total of 31,333 houses were reported damaged in Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao de Oro, of which 29,721 were partially damaged, while 1,612 were totally destroyed.
The magnitude-7.4 and 7.5 doublet earthquakes also affected 280,184 families, or approximately 1,218,293 individuals. Of these, 174 families (692 persons) were served inside five evacuation centers, while 247 families (873 persons) received assistance outside evacuation centers. In total, 10 deaths and 83 injuries were reported across the region. PIA DAVAO