Manila is bracing for more bad news. The ground is still shaking. Hundreds of aftershocks have rattled the Philippines since the initial 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Luzon island. The official death count stands at 11. But that number is expected to climb. Rescue teams are digging through rubble. They are finding bodies. The full scale of the disaster is not yet clear.
This is a government under pressure. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is facing his first major natural disaster test. He has visited the worst affected areas. But questions are already being asked about the state of emergency preparedness. Were building codes enforced? Were early warnings heeded? The opposition is circling. They smell blood.
The aftershocks are the immediate concern. Seismologists report over 400 tremors since the main shock. Some strong enough to bring down weakened structures. Aftershocks are a game of Russian roulette. They keep rescue workers on edge. They hamper relief efforts.
The centre of the damage is the northern province of Abra. Mountainous terrain. Remote villages. Landslides have cut off entire communities. The military is being deployed. Many of these towns are hours from the nearest hospital. Medical supplies are running low. The need is acute. The response is slow.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology is warning that more strong aftershocks are possible. They cannot predict the next big one. The public is on edge. Panic is spreading on social media. False rumours of a tsunami did not help.
This is a political moment for Marcos. His approval ratings are still high. But that can change quickly. The public memory is long. They remember the slow response to Typhoon Haiyan under the Aquino administration. They remember the corruption scandals in the disaster relief funds. Marcos cannot afford to be seen as indifferent or incompetent.
He has announced a P2.5 billion fund for reconstruction. But releasing that money will be a test of the bureaucracy. The treasury is not full. Inflation is at a three-year high. The war in Ukraine has pushed up fuel and food prices. The economic backdrop is grim.
International offers of aid are coming in. The United States, Japan, and Australia have all expressed readiness to help. But the Philippines has traditionally been wary of foreign boots on the ground. Sovereignty is a sensitive issue. Marcos will have to balance the need for help with the politics of pride.
For now, the focus is on search and rescue. Every hour counts. The famous Filipino resilience is being put to the test. But resilience only goes so far. It is not a substitute for proper infrastructure and swift government action.
Watch for the body count to rise. Watch for the political fallout. The aftershocks will continue. So will the recriminations.
