The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Wednesday it is ramping up rescue operations during the “golden hours” — the critical window just after a disaster when lives are most likely to be saved.

In a press briefing, OCD Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said, “The golden hour is [a] critical time to rescue and save lives.”

Alejandro also said the reported death toll could be as high as 60, though this figure is still pending validation. Most of the fatalities were recorded in Bogo City, the area hardest hit by the magnitude 6.9 earthquake.

He noted that many of the reported deaths were caused by falling debris.

As of now, there are no official reports of missing persons, but Alejandro said there are accounts of people possibly trapped under rubble.

Following the quake, OCD has alerted neighboring countries, including Singapore, in case international assistance is needed.