Hope dims for survivors

Police units in Regions 11 and 12 were deployed to aid in the search, rescue and rehabilitation efforts.

The hope for survivors beneath collapsed structures in Davao del Sur flickered dangerously low yesterday as signs of life grew faint if not totally lost late yesterday.

Aftershocks have prevented rescue teams from looking deeper into the possibility of survivors under a building in Padada, Davao del Sur that was knocked over by the magnitude 6.9 tremor last Sunday.

Rescuers the search was reduced to one person still trapped alive in the building. The three-story South Green Marketing building in Padada, Davao del Sur was toppled. At least three bodies have been recovered from the site.

By afternoon, however, television reports indicated that the faint signs of life were lost, thus, retrieval operations have commenced which involved the drilling of holes to allow the easier removal of debris.

A fireman in the scene said rescuers remained alert for traces of life with the use of electronic equipment.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, who was designated officer-in-charge for the rescue and retrieval operations, also warned of sanctions on building owners who block inspection teams from entering the premises of their properties.

Inspectors from the Office of the City Building Official are checking on the integrity of buildings as a result of the quake.

Police units in Regions 11 and 12 were deployed to aid in the search, rescue and rehabilitation efforts, the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) number two man disclosed.

According to PLt. Gen. Camilo Cascolan, the police’s logistics command in Region 11 was specifically tasked to help inspect buildings.

“Region 12 Director (PGen. Arnold) Corpus and Region 11 Director (PBGen. Filmore Escobal have been directed to reactivate their crisis incident management committees. So that we will be able to respond properly,” Cascolan said in a press briefing in Camp Crame.

“Say, for example in Padada. We already have a response team there. The Region 12 director was instructed to send response teams. Even Compostela Valley and neighboring provinces were also instructed to prepare their response teams, so that we won’t have to look for responders from Luzon. Because even here, up to now, we are also anticipating any eventuality which I hope does not happen,” he added.

Seven public structures around Davao del Sur were totally destroyed from the total of 36 hit by the earthquake.

Meanhile, the latest death toll from the weekend quake is now at 7 while 87 sustained injuries, according to the latest situation report released by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Of the fatalities, one was reported in Matanao, one in Magsaysay, one in Hagonoy, one in Bansalan, and three in Padada.

Around 1,951 families, or 9,755 individuals, have been displaced by the jolt. Most of them are temporarily being sheltered in evacuation centers in the Digos City, and Bansalan and Sta. Cruz towns.

The Saint Michael Parish in Padada town, Davao del Sur sustained damage forcing participants of the first dawn mass to hear mass in the open ground.

Fructoso Artiaga, widower of victim Evangeline Artiaga, said his wife went to the market to buy some supplies.

Evangeline failed to return home prompting her husband to look for her downtown only to find the body of his wife retrieved from the building.

The temblor resulted in cracks on school buildings and homes to collapse.

Big cities in Mindanao were spared from the recent shaker.

Searchers pulled the bodies of two women, aged 57 and 73, from a collapsed market building while another fatality was still trapped under the debris, fire officials said in a joint press conference with Mayor Pedro Caminero Jr.

The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said all national roads and bridges in areas affected by Sunday’s magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao were passable.

Based on the executive summary report, as of 1 p.m. yesterday, the major thoroughfares and viaducts in Regions 10 (Northern Mindanao), 11 (Davao Region), and Caraga Region were opened to vehicles.

“No reported damages; all national roads and bridges are passable,” it said.

The report added that in Region 12 (Soccsksargen), motorists were allowed to use major roads and bridges with minimal destruction.

“All national roads and bridges are passable with minor damage,” the DPWH said.

It also reported that the assessment of structures is currently being conducted.

“On-going assessment on roads, bridges, and other public buildings,” it added.