Marcos to ask Congress for emergency funds for Cebu earthquake victims

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. will seek help from Congress so that emergency funds will be released for the victims of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu province.

''I will be going to the Congress, the House and the Senate, para makapagbigay sila ng emergency fund (so they can give emergency fund). Alam ko 'yung mga QRF, 'yung QRF ng ibang mga agencies ubos na (Some QRF of agencies are already depleted),'' Marcos said during the situation briefing in Bogo City.

Marcos announced that the Office of the President would be donating cash assistance for the affected cities and municipalities of the province. He also directed the Department of Budget and Management to release the Local Government Support Fund for the victims.

Cebu province has been placed under a state of calamity due to the impacts of the earthquake.

During his visit in Bogo City, Marcos said he was assured by Department of Energy Secretary Sharon Garin that the entire city will have electricity by the end of the day.

Further, Marcos said a tent city will be constructed for the displaced families, noting that this will have sufficient food, water, and power supply.

''Ang desisyon namin, ang gagawin natin kukuha tayo ng mga tent na malalaki at itatayo natin -- kagaya ng sinabi ko sa ating mga LGU executives -- ito 'yung mga tent ng Red Cross na ginamit noong COVID,'' Marcos said.

(Our decision is that we will get big tents, we will build just like what was used by the Red Cross during the COVID-19 pandemic.)

''At ito ay mabilis itayo at kahit umulan hindi problema. Kaya 'yun ang dadalhin namin dito sa ngayon,'' he added.

(It will only take a short time to build this and the rains will no longer be a problem. So, we will bring that here.) 

The death toll from the devastating Cebu earthquake last Tuesday evening has increased to 72, the latest figures from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) showed.

The agency said all casualties are still for validation. It added that 294 people were reported injured from the Cebu earthquake.

The earthquake has affected 47,221 families, or 170,959 people, and displaced 20,000 persons. 

Caused by an offshore fault within 5 kilometers, the strongest intensity the earthquake produced was Intensity VII, which was felt in Bogo City, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remegio, and Tabuela in Cebu, PHIVOLCS said. 

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said that the search, rescue, and retrieval (SRR) operations have concluded in areas hit by the earthquake, with authorities shifting their operations to relief and rehabilitation efforts for the affected communities. —RSJ, GMA Integrated News