ANGELES CITY, Pampanga — What began as an effort to reach a single victim led to the recovery of three more bodies on Tuesday, pushing the death toll from the building collapse in Barangay Balibago to 20.
According to the Bureau of Fire Protection-Central Luzon, responders initially located Victim No. 18 at 11:10 a.m. While clearing debris to gain access to the area, rescue teams discovered two additional victims nearby at 1:03 p.m., later designated as Victims No. 19 and 20.
All three victims were recovered within minutes of each other. Victim No. 19 was extricated at 1:13 p.m., followed by Victim No. 18 at 1:17 p.m. and Victim No. 20 at 1:19 p.m.
Earlier in the day, authorities reported four recoveries between 1:34 a.m. and 4:08 a.m., including the remains of a dog found within the collapse site.
The latest recoveries brought the confirmed death toll to 20 as search, rescue and retrieval efforts continued across the disaster zone.
Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin II said operations remain ongoing around the clock under a Unified Command structure, with multiple agencies coordinating efforts to safely clear debris and search all sections of the collapse area.
Authorities said responders continue to proceed cautiously to ensure the safety of personnel while accounting for all possible victims trapped beneath the rubble.
