TARRAGONA, Davao Oriental — A 70-year-old small-scale miner lost his life after being buried under soil inside his mining tunnel when a strong earthquake struck on October 10, 2025, in Barangay Limot, Tarragona.
The victim, identified as Rogilo Refuilo, a resident of Sitio New Cebu in the same barangay, was reportedly working underground when the quake hit, causing the tunnel to collapse and trap him inside. His lifeless body was only recovered six days later, on the morning of October 16, after painstaking efforts by fellow miners and local rescuers.
According to family members, Refuilo’s remains were immediately brought to their home in Barangay Limot, where he is set to be laid to rest.
This tragic incident sheds light on the daily dangers faced by small-scale miners, many of whom work without proper safety equipment or stable structures. Driven by poverty and the hope of finding gold, miners—some already in their senior years—risk their lives deep underground in unstable terrain.
For elderly miners like Tatay Rogilo, mining is more than a livelihood; it is a lifelong struggle for survival. Despite the physical exhaustion and life-threatening risks, they continue to dig, hoping to unearth a few grams of gold to sustain their families.
Authorities and local disaster response teams are still investigating the exact circumstances of the collapse. Meanwhile, the community mourns the loss of Tatay Rogilo, remembering him as a hardworking man who gave his all to support his loved ones—right up to his final day underground.
His story serves as a somber reminder of the unseen sacrifices of small-scale miners across the country—those who brave danger in search of a better life, even when the earth itself turns against them.