Earthquake in the Philippines Claims 72 Lives, Including a Family of Five

CEBU PROVINCE, The Philippines — A powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Cebu on Tuesday night, killing at least 72 people, including Jane Lita Baquilta and two of her three children. The quake injured more than 200 individuals and caused widespread destruction in northern Cebu.

Jane Lita Baquilta, her husband Jeffrey Crisostomo, and their two daughters were asleep when the earthquake hit, crushing their home at SM Cares Village, a housing project for survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan. Jeffrey, 39, recalled the moment the tremors began. ‘Everything inside the house was falling — the walls, the ceiling, the window glass,’ he said. He managed to save one of his children but was pinned under debris, losing consciousness after hearing his wife’s final words: ‘Just make sure the children are safe.’

In the aftermath, families across the region faced devastation. Some residents are now living under tarpaulins along a 27-mile stretch of highway due to fears of aftershocks or because their homes are lost. Marisol Mahinay, who lost her home, said, ‘At night, we lie on damp cardboard, staring at the moonlight through the holes where our roof used to be.’

Additional tragedy struck the Pilones family when a boulder crashed onto their house, killing Katherine, 27, her husband Marwin, 26, and their son Jacob, 6. Rescuer found their 5-month-old daughter, Briana Grace, alive beneath Katherine’s body.

The Philippines, situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire, is no stranger to earthquakes and natural disasters. Each year, the government allocates billions of pesos for disaster-risk reduction, though many citizens voice concerns over corruption affecting these funds. Just weeks prior, thousands protested in Manila, demanding accountability for misappropriated flood relief funds. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited Cebu after the quake, pledging reconstruction aid, which residents have heard before after past tragedies.

The earthquake also disrupted water and power lines, rendering several hospitals unusable and further complicating relief efforts. As recovery begins, many families continue to seek assistance, grappling with the loss of loved ones and homes.