THE DAVAO City government urged residents to remain calm and be vigilant against aftershocks following the Intensity V earthquake that hit the city on Monday morning, June 8.
In an interview with Davao City Disaster Radio, Harvey Lanticse, chief of the City Information Office, emphasized that authorities are actively monitoring the situation.
“Our call to our fellow Davaoeños is to remain calm, listen, and cooperate with the orders of the authorities, especially the city government of Davao,” the official said, adding that residents should check their homes for structural damage or cracks.
Residents are advised to report any visible damage directly to Davao City Reports or via the Central 911 hotline for immediate assistance.
The City Social Welfare and Development Office has been directed to preposition relief commodities, including food packs, to ensure rapid deployment if evacuations become necessary.
As of 11 a.m., there were no reported earthquake-related evacuations, and no reported major infrastructure damage within the city.
Despite this, Lanticse said emergency response units from both the CSWDO and the City Health Office remain on standby to address any immediate social welfare or medical needs.
The city government expressed solidarity with neighboring areas in the region, noting that heavy structural damage has been observed in other localities based on initial social media monitoring.
All private building owners were directed to conduct structural damage assessments of their facilities through licensed engineers and immediately report the results to the Office of the City Building Official.
Classes at all levels in both public and private educational institutions, and work in all local and national government offices in the city have been suspended, except for agencies involved in emergency response and the delivery of essential services.
Private offices and institutions are strongly encouraged to do the same in consideration of the welfare and safety of their employees.
The earthquake on June 8, at 07:37 a.m., was recorded at a magnitude of 7.8 in Maasim, Sarangani.
The reported intensities were: Intensity VII – General Santos City; Intensity VI – Palimbang, and Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat; Intensity V – Davao City; City of Kidapawan, and Carmen, Cotabato; Bagumbayan, Kalamansig, and President Quirino, Sultan Kudarat; Sibuco, and Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.
Intensity IV was recorded in the City of Mati, Caraga, Manay, and Tarragona, Davao Oriental; and Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay.
The City of Butuan; Mainit, Surigao del Norte; City of Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte; Kumalarang, Vincenzo Sagun, Zamboanga del Sur recorded Intensity III.
Intensity II was recorded in the City of Dipolog, Labason, Liloy, President Manuel A. Roxas, and Salug, Zamboanga del Norte; Alicia, Ipil, Mabuhay, Olutanga, and Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay; Molave, Zamboanga del Sur; Abuyog, and Dulag, Leyte; San Francisco, Southern Leyte.
Another Magnitude 3.7 quake was felt at 8:18 a.m., and an aftershock with magnitude 7.8 was recorded at 8:55 a.m. northwest of Balut Island, Sarangani, Davao Occidental, and Davao City was under intensity III.
