President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo today
expressed her sympathy to the families of those who died and the thousands
of people displaced during a strong earthquake that hit Southern Philippines
at about 5:15 this morning.
The President also called on all concerned
local government units and state agencies to speed up the delivery of necessary
assistance to the victims, particularly in hardest-hit Koronadal City and
General Santos City.
The President, in a radio interview this morning, said she had been in constant touch with local leaders in Mindanao to get updates on the extent of damage to persons and public property resulting from the earthquake.
She expressed confidence that "the local leaders have gone out to attend to the needs of their affected constituency."
She said local government units have calamity funds that could immediately be disbursed.
"Kung kulang iyon ay tutulong naman ang NDCC (The National Disaster Coordinating Council will help out if the calamity funds are not enough)," she added.
Early reports reaching Malacanang said at least four people were killed -- two in Koronadal City and two in Alabel, Sarangani -- while four others were wounded during the quake.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) said the earthquake was of tectonic origin (movement of the earth's crust), with epicenter in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.
Hardest hit was Koronadal City in South Cotabato where the temblor was registered at Intensity 7 on the Richter scale.
Phivolcs said the earthquake measured Intensity 6 in General Santos City, Intensity 5 in Cotabato City, Intensity 4 in Davao, Kidapawan and Zamboanga cities, Intensity 3 in Bislig, Surigao del Sur; Pagadian City; Mati, Davao Oriental and Malaybalay City, Bukidnon; and Intensity 2 in Butuan City.