As ground shook, military moved

The Armed Forces of the Philippines assured the public that all military units have responded swiftly and effectively to the series of earthquakes that recently struck various parts of the country, including Cebu, Davao Region, and Northern Luzon.

AFP Chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. said he had just returned from Cebu and Bohol, where he inspected AFP units and assessed the structural integrity of military facilities following a magnitude 6.9 earthquake.

"I found out that our structures in Cebu are still intact. They’re okay,” Brawner said, noting that an engineering company stationed in Medellin, Cebu, which was among the hardest-hit areas, was well-prepared for such emergencies.

“Matibay naman iyong mga structures natin kasi engineering company ang nandoon sa Medellin (Our structures are durable because an engineering company is stationed in Medellin). But the important thing is, when the earthquake happened, our engineering units deployed in Cebu were able to respond immediately," he added.

According to Brawner, AFP engineering units were already on the ground assisting affected residents as soon as the earthquake in Cebu struck around 10 p.m., and by 1 a.m. on 30 September.

Rapid response in Davao, Northern Luzon

In response to another strong earthquake that hit the Davao Region, Brawner said the AFP promptly deployed troops following the directive of the President.

“Nagbigay po ng utos ang ating Pangulo na tulungan ang ating mga kababayan (Our President gave the order to help our fellow citizens). Right away, our troops were deployed to the area…They’re ready to do rescue and retrieval operations,” Brawner said.

He noted that AFP personnel are also working closely with the Office of Civil Defense to assess the extent of the damage in the affected areas.

In addition to Davao and Cebu, the AFP also responded to a recent earthquake in Baguio City and La Union, which, while less intense, prompted the deployment of both regular troops and reserve units.

"We also deployed our engineering units based in La Union and our reservists in Baguio City. It’s not just the regular forces helping, but also our reserve units,” he said.

While initial reports confirm the successful deployment of troops to Davao, Brawner said they are still awaiting more detailed updates from the field regarding the extent of damage to AFP facilities and the number of reservists involved in the relief operations.

“As of now, we are still waiting for reports from the field. But our troops are already on the ground, ready to assist,” he said.

Brawner noted the AFP continues to monitor the situation in all quake-affected areas and remains on standby to provide additional support as needed.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported that a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of Manay, Davao Oriental, on Friday morning, causing strong shaking across parts of Mindanao.

The quake occurred at 9:43 a.m., at a depth of 23 kilometers, with its epicenter located approximately 43 kilometers east of Manay, according to PHIVOLCS.

The agency initially measured the tremor at magnitude 7.6, but later revised it to 7.4 before 11:00 a.m., as more data became available.

PHIVOLCS warned that aftershocks and potential damage should be expected in the affected areas. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and assess the impact of the quake.