Cebu City is only ‘50 percent ready’ for major disasters

Local

CEBU City Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. admitted on Wednesday, Oct. 1, that Cebu City is about “50 percent ready” for large-scale disasters like Tuesday night’s magnitude 6.9 earthquake.

While the city has sufficient manpower, it still lacks medical experts and fully equipped evacuation centers.

“Sa tinuod lang, kung 1 to 10, naa ta sa 5. It needs to be improved,” Archival said during a press conference on October 1, 2025.

The mayor explained that while barangay responders are organized and prepared, the city still falls short in terms of professional expertise during major emergencies.

“So far ready ta sa manpower since gi-assemble ni ni Councilor Dave [Tumulak] ang mga barangay. Pero sa expertise gyud sa doctors, naa ta sa syudad, pero kinahanglan nato sila tawagon kung dako nga katalagman. Dili ta kaingon nga fully equipped ta, mao nga 50% ra gyud ta karon,” Archival said.

Archival also raised concern over the city’s evacuation capacity, revealing that around 100 families struggled to relocate immediately after the quake. Some took shelter inside City Hall and near the pier area.

He noted that some designated evacuation sites lacked electricity and urged the establishment of permanent, well-equipped centers in both the north and south districts.

“Kinahanglan gyud nga naa tay designated evacuation sites nga kompleto, kay naa tay mga area nga walay kuryente. We need to fix that,” he said.

Vice Mayor Tomas Osmeña confirmed that no fatalities were recorded in the city, though several structures reported minor cracks.

“People are safe. We’re thankful the impact in the city was not as bad as we initially feared,” Osmeña said.

He added that the city is now focusing its help on Bogo City, which suffered more severe damage.

In response, Archival said Cebu City is deploying three ambulances and four emergency medical crews to assist in transporting patients from Bogo to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

“In times of need, we are not just towns and cities — we are one family. Together, we will care for one another,” he said.

Councilor Dave Tumulak, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CCDRRMC), said the city’s water and power supply remain stable.

“We called MCWD last night and they confirmed walay problema sa water supply. Safe ang Buhisan Dam,” Tumulak reported.

He added that power was only temporarily cut off for safety but has since been restored. The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), however, warned of possible rotational brownouts in parts of Region 7 due to the quake’s impact on other facilities.

All hospitals in the city are operational, and relief goods from the DSWD and DSWS have been deployed. Nine barangays reported minor structural damage, with the Agsungot Health Center sustaining the most significant damage.

Archival is appealing to civil and structural engineers to help assess buildings affected by the quake.

“We need support from professional organizations to ensure the safety of residents,” he said.

“Thank you for your willingness to help keep our city safe,” Archival added.

The magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck at 9:59 p.m. on September 30, with its epicenter located about 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City.

It registered Instrumental Intensity VI in Cebu City and triggered a series of aftershocks overnight.(TGP)