Assistance, rescue mobilized amid Cebu aftershocks

The Aboitiz Group has mobilized P2.7 million in aid to communities in Cebu struck by the deadly magnitude 6.9 earthquake last week, while government agencies intensified relief and long-term recovery efforts across the affected areas.

On Tuesday, the Aboitiz Group reported that its assistance has reached over 9,000 families in Cebu, providing 93,681 liters of water, 3,815 food packs, and 2,115 non-food items.

More than 300 employees from various business units volunteered, working in shifts to pack and distribute the aid, even while many of them were personally affected by the tremor.

Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz thanked the volunteers, stating their actions reflect “the best of who we are as OneAboitiz — people who care, who act, and who stand together when it matters most.”

The company also worked closely with agencies like the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, the Philippine Red Cross, and the Philippine Coast Guard to ensure rapid delivery of supplies.

In addition to relief goods, the company’s power unit, AboitizPower, announced that both generating units of its Therma Visayas Inc. plant are now back online and supplying power to the Visayas grid after completing safety inspections.

Unit 2 resumed operations on 2 October and Unit 1 synchronized to the grid on 4 October, helping stabilize the regional power supply. The Aboitiz Foundation is continuing to work with government partners on long-term recovery plans.

Meanwhile, government agencies have accelerated their response.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has dispatched more than 216,000 family food packs (FFPs) as initial resource augmentation to 12 of the hardest-hit local government units (LGUs).

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian called it the fastest and largest deployment of FFPs the agency has ever distributed during a calamity. Gatchalian is set to meet with local chief executives to discuss the second wave of relief distribution and plot out financial assistance to help families transition from immediate response to recovery.

Separately, the Philippine Air Force and other disaster response units airlifted relief goods, including rice, tents, and mobile power supply units, from Villamor Airbase in Pasay City on 6 October, while the Naval Forces Central delivered around 17 tons of supplies to island communities in Daanbantayan, Bantayan, Sta. Fe and Medellin.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) continues to monitor seismic activity and as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, 8,298 aftershocks have been recorded since the 30 September main shock, with magnitudes ranging from 1.0 to 5.1.

Phivolcs specialist Charm Villamil explained that aftershocks persisting for weeks or months is normal for a high-magnitude earthquake, as the subsurface adjusts to a stable position.

The agency urged the public to remain vigilant, avoid damaged structures, and rely only on verified government information.