A magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southern Mindanao, Philippines, on June 8 exposed significant shortcomings in the country's disaster preparedness and building safety enforcement, resulting in at least 68 deaths, over 1,300 injuries, and nearly 68,000 damaged or destroyed homes. The tremor also caused widespread damage to schools and government buildings in General Santos, the largest city in the affected area, while 33 people remain unaccounted for.
Among the victims was Roldan Dante from Glan, Sarangani province, who lost his wife and two children in the disaster. Speaking amid ongoing relief efforts, Dante described his shock and trauma, underscoring the human cost of the quake.
Despite the National Structural Code of the Philippines mandating that buildings be constructed to withstand earthquakes of up to magnitude 8.0—higher than the recent tremor—experts point to problems beyond the code itself. The root issues include weak enforcement, inconsistent compliance, and a lack of widespread awareness and institutional commitment to disaster risk reduction, particularly within government agencies.
“I believe many private companies have retrofitted their buildings, but I’m not sure about government structures,” said Rene Meily, president of the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation, which coordinates private-sector disaster risk efforts. He emphasized that passing laws alone is insufficient without rigorous enforcement and responsible construction practices, warning of the risks posed should a major earthquake strike densely populated cities such as Metro Manila.
The Philippines lies within the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, an area responsible for roughly 90% of global earthquakes, but according to Dr. Teofredo Esguerra, an emergency management expert at the Energy Development Corporation, the country has yet to cultivate a strong “culture of safety.” He contrasted the Philippines’ situation with Japan’s rigorous structural engineering and planning, noting that in the Philippines, buildings are often constructed too closely together, and compliance with building codes remains uneven.
Esguerra also cited insufficient public understanding of seismic and volcanic hazards, widespread non-compliance with evacuation orders, and a shortage of disaster risk professionals and logistical resources as factors that hamper the nation’s preparedness.
Efforts to update building regulations were already underway prior to the earthquake. Following the recent collapse of a nine-story building under construction in Angeles City, which killed dozens, the House of Representatives approved a bill last December to replace the nearly 50-year-old National Building Code with a New Philippine Building Act. The proposed legislation aims to better protect infrastructure against an array of natural hazards including earthquakes, fires, floods, landslides, storms, and volcanic eruptions. The Senate has yet to pass the bill.
Representative Miguel Luis Villafuerte of Camarines Sur, a co-author of the legislation, is optimistic that a Department of Public Works and Highways review of existing codes will expedite Senate action. “The review is a crucial step toward strengthening infrastructure resilience amid the mounting threats posed by climate change,” he said.
Still, Esguerra cautioned that legislation alone will not solve the problem. “Strong regulations mean little if people do not internalize the importance of preparedness and compliance,” he said. He stressed that addressing the Philippines’ vulnerability to natural disasters requires a comprehensive cultural shift that prioritizes risk reduction in governance and public behavior alike.