PRESS RELEASE
October 13, 2025
Cayetano extends sympathy to disaster victims, renews call for stronger emergency response
Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano expressed deep sympathy for disaster victims and urged the swift passage of Senate Bill No. 105 which he filed to create an Emergency Response Department (ERD), saying lives depend on stronger protection in times of crisis.
“Let us come together in prayer and solidarity with our kababayan. Disasters do not choose time and place, at ang Pilipinas ay isa sa pinaka-vulnerable sa mga sakuna. That’s why it’s our shared duty to prepare, be vigilant, and to always put the safety and welfare of every Filipino first,” Cayetano said in a statement.
“Big hug sa mga taga Quezon. Of course po, prayers pa rin po sa mga taga Mindanao, lalo po Davao area at lahat po ng area na tinamaan ng earthquake sa Cebu, doon sa reeling pa sa ating mga bagyo,” he added.
This followed a series of powerful earthquakes in recent days. Most recently, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck Surigao del Sur at 10:32 PM on October 11, just hours after a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Cabangan, Zambales at 5:32 PM the same day. A day earlier, on October 10, Davao Oriental was rocked by massive tremors measuring magnitude 7.4 and 6.8. Prior to that, on October 9, a magnitude 4.8 quake was recorded in La Union.
Just a week earlier, Cebu and parts of Visayas were rocked by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake on September 30. Weeks priori, the combined effects of the southwest monsoon (habagat) and three tropical cyclones—Mirasol, Nando, and Opong—left at least 26 people dead and nearly 2.8 million affected across the country.
Unified agency
Cayetano, who has consistently emphasized disaster preparedness and community resilience, said the recent disasters highlight the urgency of creating a stronger and centralized emergency response system.
He noted that the steep cost of calamities, both in lives and in economic losses, demands institutional reform through the establishment of a unified emergency response agency.
“From 2018 to 2022, disasters and incidents caused by natural hazards caused P226 billion worth of damage and losses. In 2023 alone, natural hazards caused P24.49 billion in total damages,” he said.
Cayetano stressed that better coordination and preparedness are not only about saving lives but also about avoiding billions in wasted resources that the government spends on relief and rehabilitation after every calamity.
The senator described his proposed measure as a “science-based, people-centered” institution that would oversee disaster preparedness, response, and recovery in a unified manner.
It would also absorb key functions such as the 911 Nationwide Emergency Hotline system to ensure faster coordination and response.
“We may not be able to stop disasters, but we can empower ourselves with knowledge, training, education, equipment, tools, and the right infrastructure to cope with disasters so many lives would not be lost and there would be less devastation,” he said.
He added that while the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) has hardworking personnel, its current structure limits the speed and coordination of disaster response.
“God forbid that the 'Big One' hits Metro Manila, and it can also hit Mindanao, Metro Cebu, or Baguio City. Not only should we consider the preparedness,” he said.
"We can't have an ad-hoc response to disasters every time. We have to have one department in charge of this and systems in place para ready to respond tayo lagi," he added.
The senator’s statement also comes ahead of the International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) on October 13, which serves as a global reminder to strengthen preparedness, improve early warning systems, and build resilience against disasters.###
Cayetano, nakikiramay sa mga biktima ng kalamidad; nanawagan ng mas matatag na emergency response
Nagpahayag si Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano ng taos-pusong pakikiramay sa mga biktima ng mga kalamidad at muling nanawagan ng agarang pagpasa ng Senate Bill No. 105 na ipinanukala niya para sa paglikha ng Emergency Response Department (ERD), dahil buhay ang nakataya sa mas matibay na proteksyon sa panahon ng kalamidad.
“Let us come together in prayer and solidarity with our kababayan. Disasters do not choose time and place, at ang Pilipinas ay isa sa pinaka-vulnerable sa mga sakuna. That’s why it’s our shared duty to prepare, be vigilant, and to always put the safety and welfare of every Filipino first,” sabi ni Cayetano.
“Big hug sa mga taga Quezon. Of course po, prayers pa rin po sa mga taga Mindanao, lalo po Davao area at lahat po ng area na tinamaan ng earthquake sa Cebu, doon sa reeling pa sa ating mga bagyo,” dagdag niya.
Kasunod ito ng sunod-sunod na malalakas na lindol nitong mga nakaraang araw. Pinakahuli lang nitong October 11, kung saan niyanig ng may lakas na 6.2 ang Surigao del Sur bandang 10:32 ng gabi, ilang oras matapos ang 5.0 na lindol sa Cabangan, Zambales sa ganap na 5:32 ng hapon. Noong October 10, niyanig ang Davao Oriental ng napakalakas na 7.4 at 6.8 na lindol. Noong October 9, naitala rin ang 4.8 na lindol sa La Union.
Unang niyanig ang Cebu at ilang parte ng Visayas ng isang magnitude 6.9 na lindol noong September 30. Ilang linggo bago ang mga lindol, tinamaan din ang bansa ng habagat at tatlong bagyo—Mirasol, Nando, at Opong—na nagresulta sa pagkasawi ng hindi bababa sa 26 katao at pag-apekto sa halos 2.8 milyong Pilipino.
Matatag at sentralisadong sistema
Ayon kay Cayetano, matagal na niyang isinusulong ang pagpapalakas ng paghahanda at katatagan ng mga komunidad laban sa sakuna.
Aniya, ipinapakita ng mga nagdaang kalamidad ang pangangailangan ng isang mas matatag at sentralisadong sistema para sa emergency response.
Binanggit din niya na ang laki ng pinsalang dulot ng mga kalamidad—sa buhay at sa ekonomiya — ay dapat tugunan sa pamamagitan ng reporma sa sistema.
“From 2018 to 2022, disasters and incidents caused by natural hazards caused P226 billion worth of damage and losses. In 2023 alone, natural hazards caused P24.49 billion in total damages,” sabi ng senador.
Giit ni Cayetano, ang mas maayos na koordinasyon at paghahanda ay hindi lang tungkol sa pagsagip ng buhay, kundi pati sa pag-iwas sa bilyon-bilyong pisong gastos sa relief at rehabilitasyon pagkatapos ng bawat sakuna.
Inilarawan niya ang kanyang panukalang batas bilang isang “science-based, people-centered” na institusyon na mangunguna sa disaster preparedness, response, at recovery sa iisang sistema.
Sasaklawin din umano ng ahensiya ang mga pangunahing tungkulin gaya ng 911 Nationwide Emergency Hotline system upang mapabilis ang koordinasyon at tugon sa mga emergency.
“We may not be able to stop disasters, but we can empower ourselves with knowledge, training, education, equipment, tools, and the right infrastructure to cope with disasters so many lives would not be lost and there would be less devastation,” sabi niya.
Dagdag pa ni Cayetano, bagaman masisipag ang mga tauhan ng National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), limitado ang bilis at lawak ng kanilang koordinasyon dahil sa kasalukuyang estruktura nito.
“God forbid that the 'Big One' hits Metro Manila, and it can also hit Mindanao, Metro Cebu, or Baguio City. Not only should we consider the preparedness,” aniya.
"We can't have an ad-hoc response to disasters every time. We have to have one department in charge of this and systems in place para ready to respond tayo lagi," dagdag pa ng senador.
Ang pahayag ni Cayetano ay kasabay ng pagdiriwang ng International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDRR) sa October 13, na layuning paigtingin ang kahandaan, palakasin ang early warning systems, at itaguyod ang katatagan ng mga komunidad laban sa mga sakuna. ###
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