Davao City — Despite the strong tremors that shook Davao City on Friday and Saturday, local authorities have assured the public that the city’s major roads, bridges, and key infrastructure remain safe and fully passable.
City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) Chief Alfredo Baloran said on Monday that rapid assessments conducted immediately after the “doublet” earthquakes revealed no major structural damages.
“Immediately after the second ground shaking, our team conducted assessment and did not report major damages,” Baloran told Madayaw Davao.
He said the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was promptly activated following the tremors, mobilizing response clusters in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the City Engineer’s Office (CEO). The teams carried out round-the-clock inspections of vital infrastructure across the city.
“From time to time, I asked them about the status of our roads and bridges—and they said that all are passable and have no major damage. If there are hairline cracks, the roads are still worthy to use by the general public,” Baloran added.
Among the key areas inspected was the Matina Overpass, a structure previously tagged for monitoring in earlier quakes. Fortunately, it showed no significant damage following the recent tremors, thanks in part to prior retrofitting works.
Baloran noted that continuous monitoring remains in effect to ensure public safety, especially for government and commercial buildings that might have sustained minor cracks.
As of Monday, CDRRMO reported no additional casualties or hospital admissions linked to the earthquakes aside from one fatality recorded on Friday. Most individuals who sustained minor injuries received on-site first aid and did not require hospitalization.
“The hospitals did not give us feedback as to those admitted because of the quake,” Baloran said.
While Davao City’s infrastructure remains largely intact, Baloran reminded residents that earthquakes are unpredictable, urging everyone to stay calm and ready.
“We encourage Dabawenyos to practice by heart what they learned during earthquake drills and avoid panic,” he said.
The CDRRMO continues to monitor aftershocks and is prepared to respond to any emergencies that may arise.