By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has called on government agencies to stay alert for potential aftershocks following the recent 6.8 magnitude earthquake in Davao Occidental.
Marcos emphasized the importance of ongoing vigilance, noting that casualties can occur in the aftermath of the initial earthquake.
“You seem to have things well in hand. Let’s just remain vigilant. Let’s keep watching. We must pay attention to aftershocks because sometimes casualties happen during aftershocks,” Marcos stated during a meeting with government officials.
The President directed government officials to continue relief operations for affected families.
Additionally, Marcos issued orders to safeguard citizens in earthquake-affected areas, highlighting concerns about the spread of “fake news” regarding a potential tsunami. He emphasized the need for increased vigilance, stating, “Actually, that’s a valid concern during earthquakes. If there was going to be any movement from the sea, it would have happened already because the epicenter is not far. It’s very close.”
“About aftershocks, let’s keep watching. Let’s keep waiting. Let’s not pull our people out just yet until things subside, to ensure that no one gets injured or loses their life,” the Chief Executive added.
Present during the meeting were Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa, Social Welfare Undersecretary Edu Punay, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, and other government officials.
(ai/mnm)
