DBM pushes agencies to mobilize calamity funds for faster relief and rehabilitation after 6.9-magnitude Cebu quake

Following the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to guarantee immediate relief and rehabilitation for communities affected by the 6.9-magnitude earthquake off Cebu on Tuesday night—which has so far claimed at least 20 lives, injured dozens, damaged heritage churches and other structures, and disrupted power in several parts of the Visayas—Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman called on agencies to promptly activate their Quick Response Funds (QRF).

The QRF serves as an emergency standby facility designed to finance urgent relief and recovery initiatives, helping communities return to normalcy after disasters such as earthquakes and typhoons. “Our prayers go to the families who lost their loved ones and to all who are enduring this tragedy. In moments like this, government aid must never be delayed.

Agencies such as the DSWD, DPWH, and OCD have Quick Response Funds that can be tapped immediately to deliver assistance to those affected. We also have the NDRRM Fund on standby for larger-scale needs, including the repair of damaged facilities and heritage sites, to help ensure that our communities can rise again as quickly as possible,” Secretary Pangandaman said.

Secretary Pangandaman also ordered the DBM and PS regional office in Cebu and nearby areas to immediately check on the safety of their personnel, submit situation reports, and conduct structural inspections of DBM and PS buildings. Likewise, DBM’s regional offices in Central and Eastern Visayas were instructed to coordinate with their regional counterparts from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) to identify requirements where DBM assistance may be extended. Agencies may seek replenishment from the DBM once their QRF balance has been reduced to at least fifty percent (50%).

Government agencies with built-in QRFs include the Department of Health (DOH), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of National Defense–Office of Civil Defense (DND–OCD), Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Transportation–Philippine Coast Guard (DOTr–PCG), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and Department of Agriculture (DA). As of 01 October 2025, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (NDRRMF) has a balance of ₱8.008 billion.

The fund supports emergency relief and rehabilitation programs for disaster-affected areas, including the repair and reconstruction of public facilities and other capital investments necessary for disaster response.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology initially measured the earthquake at magnitude 6.7 before upgrading it to 6.9. The tremor struck at 9:59 p.m., with its epicenter traced 21 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, Cebu. The U.S. Geological Survey likewise recorded it at magnitude 7.0 before later revising it to 6.9.