Donations for quake-hit Cebu reach P134 million

Local

The Cebu Provincial Government has received over P134 million in donations to support relief and rehabilitation efforts for communities devastated by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck northern Cebu on September 30.

The aid came from local and international donors who responded to the province’s call for assistance.

According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), the total amount reached P134,311,077.27 as of 5 p.m. on October 17, consisting of P842,053.25 in cash, P130,023,500 in checks, and P3,445,524.48 in direct bank transfers.

The funds are being used to sustain humanitarian operations, infrastructure repairs, and recovery programs for the worst-hit towns in northern Cebu.

The province also received P10.5 million worth of in-kind donations, equivalent to 580,037 relief items.

These included 220,543 pieces of medicine and supplements, 170,567 bottles of drinking water, 72,172 canned goods, 5,661 packs of rice, and 4,982 ready-to-eat meals.

Other essential items such as hygiene kits, clothing, household goods, and 10 generator sets were distributed across affected municipalities.

The earthquake’s impact was extensive, displacing 203,359 families or 644,177 individuals and causing 79 confirmed deaths and 1,325 injuries, according to verified data from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

The worst-affected areas were Bogo City, San Remigio, Medellin, Daanbantayan, Tabogon, Borbon, and Tabuelan.

Assessments by the Department of Education-Cebu Province showed that 438 classrooms were totally destroyed, 845 sustained major damage, and 1,426 had minor cracks.

Schools in Bogo City, San Remigio, Daanbantayan, and Tabogon were among those severely affected, forcing thousands of students to relocate to temporary learning spaces.

Road and bridge damage also crippled mobility across northern Cebu.

In Daanbantayan, the Barangay Poblacion Bridge (Bitoon-Poblacion) remains closed to all vehicles, while several other bridges such as Bagay Bridge and Caputatan Bridge are only passable to light vehicles.

In San Remigio, structural cracks were reported in multiple bridges, including Lambusan, Tacup, and Maraat Parallel Bridge.

Similar damage was noted in Medellin, Tabogon, and Tabuelan.

The agriculture and livestock sector suffered heavy losses, with the Provincial Veterinary Office reporting an estimated P187.6 million in damages.

Tabogon recorded the highest losses at P154 million, mainly from destroyed livestock housing and slaughterhouse facilities. San Remigio followed with P22.3 million in losses, while Bogo City reported over P6 million.

Telecommunication and road networks have since improved, with most towns now having restored connectivity. Globe and Converge networks in Bogo City are fully operational, while Smart and Dito services have resumed in Daanbantayan, San Remigio, Bantayan, Santa Fe, Tabogon, and Borbon.

Relief and recovery operations continue to prioritize food, drinking water, medical supplies, hygiene kits, and temporary shelters.

The PDRRMO listed water tankers, generator sets, and tents among the most urgently needed items.

Municipalities such as Borbon and Tabogon requested hundreds of hygiene kits and sleeping tents, while San Remigio asked for additional medical and psychosocial support teams.

As of October 17, 1,454,215 relief goods had been deployed to affected localities. Bogo City received the largest allocation with over 525,000 items, followed by Medellin with 228,000 and Daanbantayan with nearly 160,000.

San Remigio, Tabogon, and Tabuelan also received substantial relief assistance.

To aid recovery, the provincial government has deployed 31 assets, including portalets, dump trucks, ambulances, and water tankers with capacities ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 liters.

These were distributed to the hardest-hit areas to ensure continued water supply, sanitation, and medical response.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Veterinary Office has rolled out a veterinary recovery framework that includes animal rescue, disease control, and livestock restocking to help affected farmers regain their livelihood.

The plan also covers training on livestock emergency response and rehabilitation of damaged slaughterhouses and animal shelters.

The PDRRMO said long-term rehabilitation will focus on rebuilding schools, restoring water systems, repairing damaged bridges and roads, and reviving agriculture and livestock operations.(MyTVCebu)