Calamities before Christmas

San Vicente Ferrer Parish, Bangkal, DavSur. Mao ni usa sa mga danyos sa miaging linog 2 ka oras ang milabay. Ang Kura Paruko, si Fr Allan Joie Nuñez naaksidente sa motor dihang galinog ug gidala karon sa San Pedro Hospital sa Davao. (SUGID)

DAVAO CITY—Ten days before Christmas, December 15, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake has struck parts of Mindanao which epicenter is in Matanao, Davao del Sur.

One girl was killed in Matanao, Davao del Sur when she failed to get out of their house which collapsed in that afternoon.

“Ulan, linog, brownout, asa naman mi mamuyo ani?” said Joy from Matanao whose house was partially damaged after the earthquake.

This is the latest quake that jolted in Mindanao since October. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said that the depth of the said earthquake is three kilometres and epicenter is about five kilometers north of Matanao and whose origin is tectonic.

As of this writing, at least 12 people were injured in Padada, Davao del Sur.

Southern Trade, a three-storey building in Padada collapsed after the quake. There were bodies retrieved from the said commercial building.

In Davao City, the City Government of Davao has immediately issued the suspension of classes on December 16 in all public and private schools in the city due to the earthquake.

“All establishments and organizations must immediately take precautionary measures to ensure the structural integrity of their buildings by conducting safety inspection with a qualified engineer. Areas with structural damages must be immediately condemned and close off from public use,” as stated in the proclamation signed by acting Mayor Sebastian Duterte.

Department of Public Works and Highways Davao City District Engineering Office (DPWH DCDEO) District Engineer Richard Ragasa led the checking of the different public structures in the city like the school buildings of Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School in Matina, pedestrian overpass along Matina Centerpoint and the Matina Pangi Bridge.

Ragasa said that per assessment, there are no major damages seen in those structures although there were cracks noted that don’t pose grave hazards.

Bishop of Digos Guillermo Afable in his message encouraged everyone to put their trust in God in times of calamities.

“In times of danger and natural threats to well-being, we just continue loving God and neighbour. Faith and Charity is foremost. Jesus I trust in you,” he said.

“Bisan pa sa mga takna sa kakulba ug kakuyaw sa peligro sa kinabuhi, padayon lang jud kita sa pagsalig sa Dios ug paghigugma sa isigkatawo,” the Bishop of Digos ended.