By Ivy Tejano
DAVAO CITY – Senator Christopher Lawrence Go called on the national government to focus its resources on assisting victims of recent natural disasters, including those affected by the strong earthquakes in Mindanao and Cebu and Typhoons Nando and Opong, instead of wasting public funds on alleged “ghost projects and flood-control programs being milked by a few.”
Go told reporters on Sunday, October 12, that he experienced the powerful tremor that hit Davao Oriental on October 10 while attending the inauguration of a Super Health Center in Don Marcelino, Davao Occidental.
“While we were serving our fellow Filipinos in Davao Occidental, the ground suddenly shook. But despite the fear, our hearts remain ready to help all those affected,” Go said.
The senator recounted that after the event, he and his team proceeded to nearby quake-hit areas to assess the damage, distribute relief goods, and offer condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
Go added that his Malasakit team has been conducting continuous relief operations for earthquake victims in Cebu, as well as residents affected by Typhoons Nando and Opong in Masbate and parts of Luzon.
He reiterated his call for the government to prioritize infrastructure and livelihood projects that benefit disaster-stricken communities.
“Public funds should go to those who truly need them — the victims of earthquakes, typhoons, and other calamities — not into the pockets of the greedy,” the senator stressed.
Go also reminded authorities not to neglect victims of previous disasters who struggle to recover. “Compassion should be continuous,” he said.
A long-time advocate for improved healthcare access, Go has pushed to construct Super Health Centers and Malasakit Centers nationwide to provide essential medical services, particularly in disaster-prone and underserved areas.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-11 announced on Sunday afternoon that it has provided P27.3 million in assistance to families affected by the twin earthquakes that struck Manay town in Davao Oriental and other parts of Mindanao.
During a press briefing of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Davao, DSWD-11 Assistant Director for Operations Merlinda Paragamac said the aid covered quake-hit areas in Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, and Davao del Norte.
According to DSWD-11’s report, the magnitude 7.4 and 6.8 offshore earthquakes that jolted Davao Oriental on Friday, October 10, affected 10 municipalities and 93 barangays.
The tremors impacted 66,657 families or 282,323 individuals, displacing 1,345 families (6,120 individuals) now in evacuation centers. Two hundred seventy-eight houses were destroyed, while 912 others sustained partial damage.
The Manay District Hospital, located near the quake’s epicenter, suffered significant structural damage. The Davao Oriental provincial government has since taken over hospital management to ensure uninterrupted medical services.
In Davao Oriental, DSWD-11 distributed P24.88 million worth of assistance, including 23,670 family food packs, 2,344 non-food items, and 3,606 ready-to-eat food packs.
In Davao de Oro, the agency provided P1.17 million aid to families in four affected municipalities and 28 barangays. Six hundred ninety-nine families or 3,070 individuals were affected, with 224 families currently staying in evacuation centers. The earthquakes damaged nine houses and partially damaged 352 others.
DSWD-11 also assisted Davao del Norte, where 238 families or 931 individuals were affected across 26 barangays in four municipalities. Sixty families remain in evacuation centers. Six houses were destroyed and 69 were partially damaged in the province.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council confirmed eight fatalities in the region, including three miners in Pantukan, Davao de Oro, who were killed by falling rocks. At least 395 individuals were injured—282 in Davao Region and 113 in Caraga—while no missing persons were reported.
The NDRRMC said the earthquakes affected 125,283 families or 491,258 individuals across 303 barangays in the Davao and Caraga regions. Around 1,939 families, or 8,440 individuals, stay in 14 evacuation centers.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, Education Secretary Sonny Angara, and Mindanao Development Authority Chair Leo Tereso Magno visited affected areas on Saturday, October 11.
Dizon reported that the Manay District Hospital is “unsafe for use” due to significant cracks, adding that the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will put up temporary medical tents and shelters in Manay and Tarragona to house displaced residents.
The Department of Education reported P2.1 billion in damages to school facilities across nine regions, affecting 89,691 students and 8,324 teachers. The agency also recorded injuries among 137 students and 49 education personnel.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has recorded 1,192 aftershocks, 511 plotted and 14 felt, with magnitudes ranging from 1.2 to 5.8.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation as relief operations and damage assessments remain ongoing. The DSWD assured that aid efforts would continue until all displaced families safely return home and communities fully recover.
