BBM to visit quake-hit northern Cebu again

Local

PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is heading back to northern Cebu on Friday, Oct. 17, to personally check the ongoing rehabilitation and recovery efforts in areas affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake that struck the province on Sept. 30.

The President will begin his visit at Bayanihan Village in San Remigio, proceed to the Cebu Provincial Hospital in Bogo City, and conclude with an inspection of Tent City in Barangay Cogon in Bogo.

In San Remigio, the President will tour the newly established Bayanihan Village located in Barangay Poblacion.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) recently completed the turnover of modular shelter units (MSUs) to the local government, marking the completion of the first-ever “Bayanihan Village” in the province.

In media reports, DHSUD Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling said the rapid construction of the village reflects the President’s directive to provide safe and comfortable shelters for displaced residents.

The initiative was developed in partnership with other national agencies and private sector groups, demonstrating inter-agency coordination under the government’s disaster response framework.

At the Cebu Provincial Hospital, the President will check the facility’s ongoing operations.

The hospital continues to play a key role in the province’s disaster response, catering to patients from northern municipalities.

The President’s final stop will be at Tent City in Bogo City, where 93 tents have been installed to accommodate 79 displaced families.

The site is equipped with 33 portable toilets, three bathing facilities, and two water stations, ensuring proper sanitation and access to clean water.

Additional facilities include five Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) emergency shelters, a mobile kitchen, a Red Cross food truck, and a medical tent to serve residents still staying there.

This will be President Marcos’ second visit to northern Cebu following his initial trip on Oct. 2, when he met with affected families and directed concerned agencies to fast-track relief operations and housing projects.

In an interview on Thursday, Oct. 16, Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro confirmed that she has been invited by Malacañang to join Marcos during his visit to northern Cebu on Friday.

When asked if she plans to request additional assistance from the national government, Baricuatro said it is unlikely, noting that the President has already fulfilled his earlier commitments to the province.

These include the delivery of aid to quake-affected towns and the acceleration of electrification efforts in the impacted areas.

The governor also confirmed that the provincial government has already received the assistance promised by President Marcos during his initial visit on October 2.

Earlier, the Office of the President pledged a total of P180 million in cash donations for affected LGUs. The bulk of the aid, or P50 million, was allocated to Cebu province.

Other allocations included P20 million each for Bogo City, Sogod, and San Remigio, and P10 million each for Bantayan, Daanbantayan, and Medellin.

An additional P10 million each was provided for Madridejos, Santa Fe, Tabogon, and Tabuelan.(MyTVCebu)