Calamba City under ‘heightened alert’ after Mindanao earthquake

LUCENA CITY, Philippines — Following the devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off Sarangani in Mindanao on Monday, Mayor Roseller Rizal has placed Calamba City, Laguna, under “heightened alert” effective Tuesday.

In a memorandum, Rizal directed all concerned local government offices to activate and heighten the readiness of their respective emergency teams, ensure rapid information flow, and undertake proactive measures to protect life, property, and public order in close coordination with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) and the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division.

READ: Mindanao earthquake death toll rises to 45 – NDRRMC

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The mayor designated several departments and offices as lead agencies for various response clusters, granting them authority to convene cluster members, assign operational responsibilities, and consolidate and submit situation reports.

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Rizal said he issued the memorandum pursuant to the city government’s mandate to lead and coordinate disaster preparedness and response actions, ensure the continuity of essential services during emergencies, and in accordance with the local disaster risk reduction and management system under Republic Act 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.

In a Facebook post written in Filipino, Rizal said all members of the CDRRMC, city government offices, and designated lead agencies had been ordered to prepare, strengthen coordination, and ensure immediate response to emergencies to safeguard the welfare and safety of Calamba residents.

“We will continue to intensify preparedness, monitoring, and coordination efforts to ensure that our city remains ready for any disaster or calamity. The safety of our people remains our highest priority,” Rizal said.

The mayor added that the order will remain in effect until modified or lifted.

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READ: Phivolcs logs over 2,000 aftershocks after Mindanao earthquake

As of Tuesday night, the Office of Civil Defense reported more than 40 fatalities, four missing persons, and hundreds of injuries following the powerful earthquake and subsequent strong aftershocks.

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More than 77,000 individuals across Mindanao have been affected, prompting large-scale relief and recovery operations./coa /atm

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HELP MINDANAO EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

The Inquirer Foundation is calling for support for communities devastated by the recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao.

In partnership with the Philippine Red Cross, the foundation is amplifying appeals for food, clean water and other critical assistance for affected families.

Donors may send contributions directly to the Philippine Red Cross through its official transfer channels, the complete list is available on the PRC’s Facebook page.

The Philippine Red Cross has activated its emergency fund campaign and deployed teams on the ground to provide medical services, distribute relief goods and extend psychosocial support to affected families.