The national government has ordered LGU officials nationwide to conduct structural inspections following recent earthquakes in northern Cebu and the Davao region, as fears mount over seismic activity across the central and southern Philippines.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Oct. 13, 2025 directed all local government units to carry out swift structural assessments, particularly in severely affected areas where buildings show visible cracks, partial collapse or foundation damage, the agency said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered national agencies to provide assistance to affected areas and accelerate recovery and rehabilitation efforts, the DILG said.

Local governments have been instructed to evacuate families from residential structures deemed unsafe to temporary shelters, and to expedite permit processing for rebuilding while ensuring compliance with national safety and engineering regulations.

BOHOL MONITORING OFFSHORE FAULT

Provincial disaster officials in Bohol are preparing for potential movement of an offshore fault that runs from near Balicasag and Pamilacan islands along the southern coast toward the towns of Jagna and Anda, which could generate a major earthquake and tsunami.

Nolan Evangelista, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in Bohol, said during an Oct. 14 meeting that while the fault is relatively quiet, it may be accumulating stress and could move without warning.

Evangelista said Balicasag island could be directly affected by a tsunami if the fault moves, and urged authorities to develop robust evacuation plans.

Anthony Damalerio, head of Bohol’s Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said his office is conducting simulation exercises to train residents and coordinating with Phivolcs and other agencies to boost preparedness.

RESIDENTS URGED TO PREPARE EMERGENCY KITS

Damalerio has urged Bohol families to prepare emergency “go bags” containing supplies for 72 hours following a disaster, including medicines, bottled water, flashlights, knives, biscuits, canned goods and ready-to-eat foods.

He said food and water could be scarce in the three days after a calamity strikes, with power outages potentially shutting water refilling stations. 

Relief typically arrives 24 to 72 hours after a disaster, he said.

Boholano residents should also secure important documents such as passports and identification cards, and carry whistles to call for rescue in emergencies, Damalerio said.

Bohol was struck by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in 2013 that caused massive damage across the province.

PHIVOLCS DOWNPLAYS IMMEDIATE THREAT

Evangelista sought to allay public worries about recent tremors, saying aftershocks from earthquakes in northern Cebu and Davao region that have reached Bohol pose no threat at intensity 4 or below.

Earthquakes registering intensity 1 to 4 are considered weak and have no effect on soil and structures, he said, adding that damage only occurs at intensity 5 and above.

Phivolcs does not expect a strong earthquake to hit Bohol for several years unless another fault within Central Visayas moves, Evangelista said. 

He said it would be preferable to experience mild but frequent earthquakes rather than a strong tremor that could cause damage or loss of life.

Evangelista said strain on Bohol’s southern fault has eased as some earthquakes have been detected in Anda and Loay, and that seismic activity is frequently detected at the North Bohol Fault.

Around 20 to 30 earthquakes strike the Philippines each day, though most are only detected by seismographs, he said.