Over P143 million infra damage recorded after twin quakes in Davao Oriental 

More than P143 million worth of infrastructure damage was recorded following the twin earthquakes that struck Manay, Davao Oriental, on October 10, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Monday. 

The magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 earthquakes caused extensive infrastructure damage, mainly in Region 11, where over P103 million worth of damage was recorded, while nearly P40 million worth of damage was reported in the Caraga Region, according to the NDRRMC’s situational report. 

The number of damaged houses stands at 18,811, of which 17,622 are partially damaged, while 1,189 are totally damaged. 

The two major quakes also affected more than 345,000 families, or nearly 1.5 million individuals, with 771 families still taking shelter in 12 evacuation centers, the report said. 

Eleven cities and municipalities in Davao Region remain under a State of Calamity  

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered that no Filipino should go hungry during times of disaster, by ensuring that the Department of Social Welfare (DSWD) and Development maintains sufficient relief supplies. 

“Despite the successive disasters in the country — earthquakes and storms — the DSWD has ensured the sufficient and continuous replenishment of relief supplies for affected residents,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire A. Castro said in a palace briefing on Monday in Filipino. 

Ms. Castro said the agency has also allocated over P169 million in standby funds to sustain ongoing disaster response efforts. 

As of Saturday night, the NDRRMC said the DSWD had distributed more than P70 million worth of assistance to families affected by the Davao Oriental earthquake, while over 88,000 family food packs had been released. — Edg Adrian A. Eva