Duterte pledges P2-billion help for quake-hit Surigao

February 12, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday vowed to extend P2-billion financial assistance to the victims of magnitude 6.7 earthquake that struck Surigao del Norte province last Friday.

Duterte made the pledge during his visit in Surigao City where he also extended his condolences to the families of those who died in the disaster.

According to Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office- Surigao del Norte Officer Jovy Ebol, the death toll from the earthquake already rose to eight.

While there were those who died in the earthquake, Duterte said he was thankful the incident was not the same as the Typhoon Yolanda, which hit most parts of the country in November 2013, leaving more than 7,000 people killed and missing.

The President distributed a total of 3,500 relief packs to the victims

Meanwhile, Ebol identified the latest victims as Jenelyn Ebale, 5, and Rommel Tano, 17, who both suffered from head trauma.

The number of injured persons also increased to 202 and they were brought to different hospitals for treatment.

A total of 1,034 families or 5,170 individual were affected in Mainit, Malimono, San Francisco, Sison, and Surigao City.

The report also recorded that 1,034 houses were damaged in the affected areas, 155 of which were totally destroyed while 879 others were partially damaged.

The Department of Public Works and Highway CARAGA Region said damage to infrastructure reached to P103.45 million.

The communist New People’s Army declared ceasefire on those quake-hit areas.

A state of calamity was declared in Surigao City on Saturday following Friday’s tremor.

The Department of Energy said that "price freeze" has been imposed on fuel and petroleum products, particularly for kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas, in the calamity-stricken areas.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has recorded about 138 aftershocks, five of which were mainly felt in Surigao City. Ella Dionisio/DMS