Cebu quake death toll hits 72; no more missing persons

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has officially declared the end of search and rescue operations in quake-hit parts of Cebu, with all previously reported missing persons now accounted for and fatalities rising to 72.

In a phone interview on Thursday, OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo said that as of their latest coordination with local government units (LGUs), there were no longer any individuals reported missing.

“Sa Incident Command Post, wala nang reported na missing, even from the LGUs. We don’t know if they just haven’t submitted new reports yet, pero so far, zero missing tayo,” Castillo said. 

“So the assumption is that all are accounted for.”

The OCD said the shift from search and rescue to retrieval and relief operations has now been implemented, particularly in Bogo City, where 30 of the confirmed fatalities were recorded.

“We actually have enough search and retrieval teams on-site. As early as yesterday, some responders were already being told to hold off from coming in dahil sobra na ang personnel on the ground,” he added.

According to Castillo, OCD Undersecretary Harold Cabreros, who is currently in Cebu, met with local officials Thursday to discuss the transition.

“Private rescue teams have been told they may begin demobilizing unless they want to help with relief distribution or debris clearing operations,” Castillo said.

The latest fatality count now stands at 72, although Castillo noted that the additional three deaths from the previously reported 69 were still being verified.

As of this morning, around 4,000 families—or approximately 20,000 individuals—remain displaced and are staying in open-air evacuation sites.

“These are not the usual evacuation centers we use during typhoons. For earthquakes, we use open spaces to avoid risks from falling debris. That’s where most of the evacuees are now,” he explained.

Castillo said aftershocks remain one of the biggest challenges, with many residents still afraid to return to their homes—even if their structures have been cleared as safe.

“Yung trauma kasi, especially for those coming from areas hit hard by the 6.9-magnitude quake. Kahit konting pag-uga, takot agad,” Castillo said. 

“Kaya marami pa rin ang nasa labas, ayaw bumalik sa bahay.”

While the major roads and critical arteries have already been cleared of debris, the OCD expects debris removal in damaged infrastructure to take significantly longer.

“Yung mga semento, debris from collapsed buildings, syempre mas matagal ang clearing niyan. But roads and access points are already mostly passable,” Castillo said.

Government agencies, including the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), are leading the debris clearing operations, prioritizing access routes and critical infrastructure.

The OCD continues to coordinate with LGUs and other agencies for the delivery of relief aid, temporary shelters, and psychological support for affected communities.

Castillo reminded the public to remain vigilant and to follow safety advisories, especially as aftershocks may continue in the coming days.