Most casualties from possible 'Big One' earthquake may come from informal settlers — SILG Remulla

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Thursday expressed belief that the so-called “Big One,” a projected magnitude 7.2 earthquake that may hit Metro Manila and nearby areas, could result in many casualties coming from informal settler families.

Remulla said this during the Senate Committee on Finance’s deliberations on the proposed P287.48- billion budget of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and its attached agencies for fiscal year 2026.

“As far as the cities are concerned, I think the National Building Code is holding up. What we need is to strengthen the building code of the municipalities in order for them to check the integrity of the structures there,” he said.

“If we do have the Big One, the most of the casualties would come from the ISFs because none of their buildings were constructed with the municipality permits and they cook with kerosene and with other non-regulated cooking implements and that is the major cause of fires, and that will be the major cause of damage,” he added.

Fears about the “Big One” resurfaced after the series of powerful earthquakes that hit different parts of the country, particularly Cebu and Davao Oriental.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), however, said the series of strong earthquakes do not trigger the West Valley Fault to move.

The West Valley Fault (WVF) runs through Bulacan, Rizal, Metro Manila, Cavite, and Laguna.

Dubbed as “The Big One,” the 7.2 magnitude earthquake or stronger in Metro Manila may lead to 33,500 fatalities and 113,600 injured, based on the 2004 study of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and concerned Philippine agencies.

The Philippine and Japanese governments are set to revisit this 2004 study on the impact of this possible disastrous earthquake. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News