A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines' Mindanao island earlier this week, raising the death toll to 61, according to a report by GMA News on Saturday. Authorities said rescue operations continue in the worst-hit areas, where landslides and collapsed buildings have trapped people under debris. The Office of Civil Defense confirmed that ongoing aftershocks, unstable structures, and damaged roads are hampering rescue efforts.

The Disaster Response and Monitoring Information Center reported that about 553,000 people have been affected across the Mindanao region. Among them, 9,393 people are staying in evacuation centers, while 54,274 have taken temporary shelter with relatives or friends. Preliminary assessments show that 8,865 houses were completely destroyed and 36,691 partially damaged.

General Santos City and Sarangani province are among the most severely affected areas. Authorities have declared a state of calamity in these regions to expedite relief and rehabilitation operations.

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Philippines early Monday, killing at least 37 people and injuring more than 150 others. The quake hit at 7:37 a.m. local time, with its epicenter located about eight miles southwest of General Santos City in Mindanao at a depth of 6.2 miles. The Civil Defense authorities confirmed that 31 bodies were recovered from the debris in the Soccsksargen region, while several people remain missing. Over 10,000 residents have lost their homes due to the disaster.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the quake caused significant structural damage in affected areas. The U.S. Geological Survey also measured the tremor at magnitude 7.8. Shortly after the quake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert warning of possible waves up to 10 feet along parts of the Philippine coast and up to one meter along some Indonesian and Malaysian shores. The warning was later lifted after assessments indicated no tsunami threat.

Authorities continue rescue and recovery operations as search efforts persist for those still missing.

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Philippines early Monday, killing at least 15 people and injuring 129 others. According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, the quake’s epicenter was located about eight miles southwest of General Santos City in Mindanao, at a depth of 6.2 miles. The tremor occurred at 7:37 a.m. local time and caused significant structural damage across affected areas.

Rodrigo Sosmenia, director of the local civil defense office, reported that 12 of the victims were residents of the Soccsksargen region, while three others died in Davao Occidental province. Police officer Robert Dagn said many buildings were damaged and rescue operations were underway. Authorities have warned residents not to enter damaged homes or structures due to the risk of aftershocks.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned of possible waves up to 10 feet along parts of the Philippine coast and up to one meter in Indonesia and Malaysia, but later confirmed there was no tsunami threat.

A powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the southern Philippines on Monday morning, killing at least three people and injuring five others. The quake hit Mindanao Island at 7:40 a.m. local time, according to the United States Geological Survey. At least 37 buildings, mostly commercial structures, were damaged. Following the initial tremor, 138 aftershocks were recorded, ranging in magnitude from 1.3 to 6.7.

Tsunami warnings were issued across the region, including in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported tsunami waves in six areas of Mindanao and confirmed that the tsunami alert remained in effect. Philippine President Marcos urged residents to move to higher ground immediately after the quake, while Japanese Prime Minister Sanade Takachio called on citizens to follow tsunami advisories.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation as aftershocks persist and coastal areas remain under alert for potential tsunami impacts.

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck the Philippine island of Mindanao at 7:40 a.m. local time on Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The quake occurred at a depth of 35 kilometers, prompting tsunami warnings across multiple Asian nations.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that waves up to 10 feet could hit the Philippine coast, while Indonesia and Malaysia might experience waves exceeding 3 feet. Governments in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan issued tsunami alerts, warning of potentially dangerous large waves along coastal areas.

Philippine President Marcos urged residents to move immediately to higher ground, noting that several coastal regions in Mindanao were already feeling the effects. Japanese Prime Minister Sanade Takachio also called on citizens to follow tsunami warnings and evacuation instructions closely.

A partially built multi-storey building collapsed in Angeles City, north of Manila, Philippines, killing three people and leaving 17 others missing. Rescue teams continued search and recovery operations at the site following the incident. Officials said an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the collapse.

According to Bureau of Fire Protection information officer Maria Lea Sazili, most of the missing individuals were construction workers listed as being on duty at the time. Authorities noted that up to 70 workers were employed at the site, though many had gone home for the weekend. One worker, Alfredo Albis, told AFP that he was sleeping in a nearby barrack when the building fell and that two of his cousins remain trapped.

Investigators are examining the structural failure while emergency teams work to locate the missing workers. The incident has drawn attention to construction safety conditions in the area.

A nine-story building under construction collapsed in Angeles City, Pampanga province, north of Manila, early Sunday following a severe thunderstorm, leaving at least 21 people missing, according to local authorities. Police, fire service, and disaster response teams launched a large-scale rescue operation, reporting that voices were heard from beneath the debris, raising hopes of survivors. Police Brigadier General Jess Mendez said 24 workers either escaped or were rescued, with some sustaining injuries, but no deaths had been confirmed.

Francis Pangilinan, head of the Angeles City disaster management office, stated that most of the missing individuals were believed to be construction workers. Debris from the collapse also damaged a nearby residential structure, injuring two people, including a Malaysian tourist. Rescue teams, aided by trained dogs, continued searching under highly unstable conditions.

Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon said signs of life were detected under the rubble, but the area remained extremely dangerous, requiring careful rescue efforts. The site lies within the Clark Freeport Zone, a major commercial and entertainment hub about 80 kilometers north of Metro Manila.

The Philippine House of Representatives is advancing impeachment proceedings against Vice President Sara Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte. A vote on the impeachment is scheduled for Monday, marking a new escalation in the ongoing political conflict between the Duterte family and President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The move comes as the country faces growing political instability and economic uncertainty linked to the global energy crisis.

The impeachment complaint accuses Sara Duterte of constitutional violations, betrayal of public trust, misuse of confidential funds, concealment of assets, bribery, and issuing threats against President Marcos, his wife Liza Araneta, and former Speaker Martin Romualdez. Lawmaker Terry Ridon stated that over 110 million dollars in suspicious bank transactions could not be justified by declared income or assets, framing the issue as one of constitutional accountability rather than politics.

The House has reportedly secured the one-third vote needed to forward the case to the Senate, where a two-thirds majority is required for conviction. A similar impeachment attempt in 2025 was annulled by the Supreme Court on technical grounds. Duterte, who ran alongside Marcos in 2022, has since hinted at a 2028 presidential bid.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit began on the Philippine island of Cebu, with global energy shortages and the Middle East conflict taking center stage. The two-day meeting, held on Thursday and Friday, brings together heads of state, foreign ministers, and economic ministers from the bloc’s 11 member countries. According to Reuters, ensuring energy and food security for the region’s 700 million people has become ASEAN’s top priority.

Analysts note that the ongoing energy crisis poses a major leadership test for the Philippines, which currently holds the ASEAN chairmanship. The country must balance efforts to coordinate regional responses to the energy challenge while addressing internal issues within the bloc, including Myanmar’s civil war and unresolved border disputes between Thailand and Cambodia. Don McClain Gill, a geopolitical analyst at De La Salle University in Manila, told Reuters that economic shock management may ultimately take precedence over other regional concerns.

The summit’s focus on energy and food security underscores ASEAN’s attempt to strengthen regional resilience amid global instability and internal divisions.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has approved the start of a trial against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte on charges of crimes against humanity. The ICC’s pre-trial judges unanimously confirmed the allegations, stating there was sufficient reason to believe Duterte committed the crimes. The charges relate to thousands of alleged extrajudicial killings during his controversial anti-drug campaign between 2011 and 2019.

Duterte, aged 81, has been detained for over a year and repeatedly sought release, but the court rejected his appeals. He has refused to recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, arguing that the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute in 2019. However, ICC judges ruled that the alleged crimes occurred while the country was still a member, giving the court authority to proceed. More than 500 victims have been allowed to participate in the proceedings.

Human rights groups claim Duterte’s campaign targeted small drug dealers while sparing major criminals. Duterte has denied the accusations as false, and police have maintained that their actions were in self-defense.

The Philippines has declared a one-year national energy emergency as rising tensions between Iran and Israel threaten to disrupt oil shipments through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned that the country’s energy security faces imminent danger. In response, the government has launched extensive programs for energy conservation, subsidies, and direct cash assistance to citizens.

According to the report, 98 percent of the Philippines’ energy supply passes through the Hormuz Strait, leaving the country with no alternative but to act decisively. The situation serves as a wake-up call for developing, import-dependent economies such as Bangladesh, which could face similar vulnerabilities. The article emphasizes that global market instability directly affects transportation, agriculture, and industry in such nations.

The author suggests that Bangladesh should establish at least a three-month strategic energy reserve, diversify import sources through regional diplomacy, and accelerate domestic exploration of gas and coal. Expanding renewable energy production and enforcing strict energy-saving policies are also deemed essential to ensure long-term national energy security.

The Philippines is considering suspending domestic and international air services due to a severe shortage of jet fuel. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told Bloomberg on Monday that the ongoing Iran-United States-Israel war has disrupted global energy supplies, leaving the country struggling to secure aviation fuel. He said that suppliers who previously sold jet fuel to the Philippines have stopped doing so, forcing airlines to rely on limited domestic reserves.

Marcos warned that these reserves will not last long if the war continues and fuel supply chains remain blocked. He indicated that without a quick resolution to the conflict or restoration of normal supply from seller countries, the government may soon have to cancel both domestic and long-haul international flights. The fuel crisis has already prompted the Philippines to declare a national energy emergency.

The situation highlights the broader global impact of the conflict on energy-dependent sectors, particularly aviation, as countries face mounting pressure to manage dwindling fuel resources.

International Criminal Court (ICC) prosecutors have accused former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte of killing thousands of people during his anti-drug campaign. The allegations were presented at the ICC in The Hague on Friday, during the final day of hearings on crimes against humanity. Prosecutor Julian Nichols stated that Duterte was proud of the killings and wanted to be remembered for them. The prosecution claimed Duterte led a 'death squad' while serving as Davao City mayor and continued similar actions as president.

A three-judge panel heard arguments from the prosecution, defense, and victims’ representatives throughout the week. Duterte did not attend the hearing, with his lawyers citing illness, while victims’ representatives said he avoided facing the families of those killed. The prosecution presented evidence of 76 killings as symbolic of thousands more, while the defense argued there was no direct proof linking Duterte to the murders.

Judges now have up to 60 days to issue a written decision, which could lead to a full trial, partial dismissal of charges, or complete acquittal.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague has begun a four-day hearing against former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte on charges of crimes against humanity. The proceedings, which started on Monday, aim to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to initiate a full trial over alleged extrajudicial killings carried out during Duterte’s anti-drug campaign. The 80-year-old former leader faces three cases linked to at least 76 killings.

Prosecutors allege that the crimes occurred between 2013 and 2018, when Duterte served as mayor of Davao City and later as president of the Philippines. Independent estimates suggest that up to 30,000 people may have been killed during his six-year anti-drug drive. Although ICC judges declared Duterte physically fit, they granted his lawyers’ request to excuse him from appearing in person.

Despite the Philippines’ withdrawal from the ICC in 2019, the court ruled it retains full jurisdiction over crimes committed between 2011 and 2019. Judges have 60 days after the hearing to decide whether to proceed with a formal trial.

Philippine Vice President and newly declared presidential candidate Sara Duterte has been hit with a fourth impeachment complaint, according to documents obtained by AFP on Thursday. The complaint, filed Wednesday just hours after she announced her 2028 presidential bid, accuses Duterte of misusing public funds and improperly handling undeclared assets. Duterte, daughter of former president Rodrigo Duterte, was impeached by the House of Representatives last year, but the Supreme Court dismissed that case due to procedural errors.

Under the Philippine constitution, if the impeachment is accepted, the Senate will begin a trial. A conviction would disqualify Duterte from politics and end her presidential ambitions. Lawmaker Paolo Ortega of La Union province, one of two supporters of the complaint, said the issue concerns constitutional accountability and undisclosed wealth. Another supporter, Leila de Lima, described the new filing as an improved version of the case dismissed last year.

Analysts cited in the report said Duterte’s 2028 candidacy aims to unify her allies and strengthen her faction’s chances of returning to power.