Northbound traffic is moving slowly in Barangay Damolog, Sogod town with most vehicles transporting relief goods to areas hit by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake. | Photo by Kristin de Dios
CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro has acknowledged delays in delivering relief goods, which have hampered operations due to logistical challenges and traffic congestion going to the earthquake-hit areas in northern Cebu.
Baricuatro told reporters yesterday: “If everybody will be going there during the weekend, so mosamot og kadugay, unya mosamot daghang reklamo, so mao sad na ang rason ngano’ng nahinay ang amo’ang relief operations tungod kay hinay kaayo ang pagpadulong didto sa norte. Mura’g tanang tawo moadto didto, it hampers our relief operations.”
Four days since the earthquake jolted northern Cebu, survivors in Ground Zero face challenges in their daily struggle of rebuilding lives, while waiting for services to stabilize.
Roads in northern Cebu remain congested as a steady stream of trucks—big and small—move to deliver relief goods.
The sight of long traffic lines has become part of daily life as drivers traverse the damaged roads to bring aid.
The governor appealed to private individuals and organizations to refrain from going to the north to distribute their relief goods, suggesting the centralization of the donations instead.
“So mohangyo lang unta mi nga mo-refrain lang sa ‘ta og adto to give donations kay grabe kaayo ka traffic karon sa north, and it hampers our operations” Baricuatro said.
Besides, northern Cebu is still experiencing aftershocks after the major quake that happened on September 30, thus going there is still not advisable, she said.
Baricuatro proposed that private donors could submit their donations at the Capitol or at other government agencies.
The Capitol will set up an Incident Command Center (ICC) in the north, particularly in Bogo City, and help the LGUs in their relief operations.
The ICC will be the one to coordinate with the LGUs down to the barangays to ensure systematic distribution, and that relief assistance will be given equally to the intended beneficiaries.
The governor said she understands that LGU officials are also victims of the quake, that’s why the Capitol will come in to assist them in their relief efforts.
“I think naa gyud uban’g mga barangays, far flung siguro nga wala pa napadad-an, so we are creating our Incident Command operation para maka-advise mi down to the barangays para matabangan namo ang LGUs nato nga mahatag gyud nato down to the barangays ang mga relief goods” Baricuatro said.
Yesterday, Baricuatro called for a meeting with members of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) to discuss the ongoing relief efforts of Cebu Province, including logistical and medical concerns that need to be addressed, as well as the long-term recovery efforts and resilience strategies.
The governor also issued an executive order temporarily lifting the truck ban on all provincial and national roads in the province.
“The timely transport and delivery of relief goods, construction materials, fuel, medical supplies, food commodities, and other necessities are critical to the immediate response, recovery, and rehabilitation efforts of the Provincial Government and its partner agencies” reads part of Executive Order no. 58 dated October 2, 2025.
Relief distribution
As the needs pile up, local officials list the most urgent necessities: food packs, first aid kits, hygiene supplies, modular tents, sleeping bags, potable water, generator sets, caution tapes, and psychological support for affected families.
San Remigio Mayor Mariano Martinez admitted that while help has started pouring in, the pace of delivery remains a concern.
“Ubay-ubay naman ang nakatabang nato diri. We’re expecting DSWD to send family packs…naa pu’y uban nihatag gikan sa private sector ug other LGUs,” he said.
He added that about 18,000 to 20,000 food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has been distributed to the municipality.
Barangays will handle the distribution once goods arrive from the municipal level. But, despite these efforts, some residents feel government aid is not coming fast enough.
“Right now there are complaints na hinay ang gobyerno, pero actually we’re here three days pa,” Martinez explained.
Water remains the top demand. The Philippine Red Cross and other organizations have sent water tankers, but families continue to clamor for more. Adding to the burden, intermittent rains have drenched makeshift shelters.
Families staying outside due to fear of aftershocks now struggle with wet clothes and bedding. “Need jud unta og mga legit tents kay dili na mi ganahan mo balik sa balay kay hadlok mi matumpag,” said 45-year-old Erah.
Jun Tipait from Barangay Maño, San Remigio, shared how his family waits by the roadside for food packs to stretch their meals. “Wala pa mi ni trabaho, wapay panagat, so mao nalang among gisaligan,” he said. Some have received relief, but say it is not enough.
“Need pajud og dugang pagkaon kay kanang gihatag nila, wa ko kahibaw kung pila pa na ka days. Wala pa mi trabaho,” said Neralyn Montejo of Barangay Pulambato, Bogo City.
Traveling in northern part of the province, people are greeted not just by relief trucks but also by handwritten signs they’re holding or hanging on gates: “We need help. Foods and water.”, “Ayaw mi agi-agii lang. We need help.”
Every vehicle that passes through—whether loaded with sacks of rice, bottled water, or relief goods becomes a symbol of hope for the victims of the quake as they waved, as signs they are desperately waiting for relief goods to be handed to them.
Aids from outside Cebu
The Province of Cebu continues to receive financial assistance from various LGUs in other parts of the country.
Baricuatro received P8 million financial assistance from General Santos City intended for the LGUs in northern Cebu. Of the amount, P2 million is for Bogo city, while P1 million is for each of the towns of Tabuelan, San Remigio, Daanbantayan, Borbon, Tabuelan, Tabogon, and Medellin.
The Province of Surigao del Sur also announced that it will give P3 million financial assistance to Cebu. While the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) turned over P1.5 million in financial help, also for the victims of the earthquake.
Power, telecom restoration
In Bogo City, only 14 percent of power supply has been restored, according to the Provincial Government. Nearby San Remigio reports 22 percent power restoration, while Sogod and Daanbantayan towns fare better at 67 percent. Medellin shows the highest recovery rate so far at 94 percent.
The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) said 27 power plants in the Visayas tripped after the quake, cutting 1,444.1 megawatts from the grid and prompting a yellow alert over the region.
In a data from Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), telecommunication services have also been severely disrupted.
Signals are now back in Bogo City and Carmen, while Daanbantayan, Sogod, Tudela, Asturias, and Catmon towns have stable communications. However, San Remigio and Madridejos continue to suffer frequent interruptions.
Tuburan and Tabogon remain in a total blackout for telecom services, while Borbon only has limited access. Providers are racing to restore full connectivity as authorities rely on communications for relief coordination.
Death toll
The 6.9 magnitude quake took the lives of at least 70 people. Provincial Information Officer Ainjeliz de la Torre-Orong explained that the data were from the Joint Operation Center in Bogo, and the number of deaths is 73 based on the body count.
But the data of CPDRRMO, which is also basing its list from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), the official count is 70 with corresponding death certificates already issued.
In the same CPDRRMO report, the number of injured individuals is 594, while the number of families affected climbed to 180,256, or 281,257 individuals.
| Written by Le Phyllis F. Antojado and Jonnavie Villa /RAE
