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Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jnr inspects a heritage church in Bogo City, Cebu affected by the intensity 6.9 quake (Department of Tourism)
(Editor’s note: This is a developing story. New details will be published per the most recent updates.)
The Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) has assured the provincial government of Cebu in the Central Philippines that it will actively support its ongoing recovery and rehabilitation efforts following the powerful 6.9 earthquake that rocked the province on Tuesday, 30th September.
Tourism secretary Christina Frasco joined Philippine President Ferdinand R Marcos Jnr earlier today on an inspection tour of several heavily impacted areas in the province, particularly areas critical to Cebuano tourism and hospitality.
In a statement issued around 5:00pm local time earlier today, 3rd October, Frasco declared: “We have already deployed teams from our sub-agency Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) to do a rapid assessment and inspection [of affected sites.] We are also endorsing the matter to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and other relevant heritage agencies, so that, together, we can ensure that the restoration and the rehabilitation of these symbols and living edifices of our faith and our culture can rise again.”
As of press time, it has been reported that over 900 tourism workers in Cebu province have been impacted by the earthquake.
This is on top of the 47,221 households (essentially 170,959 individuals) who lost homes and livelihood in the disaster.
DOT officials, including secretary Christina Frasco, join the President in an inspection of quake-hit Bogo City (Department of Tourism)
Talking to the locals
Since Wednesday, 1st October, Frasco’s inspection tours in Cebu have enabled her to interact directly with tourism and hospitality professionals whose livelihood has been affected by the disaster.
In the abovementioned statement, Frasco reminded the public that tourism is one of the key economic drivers for the province.
She said: “We have determined that there are many tourism establishments that have been affected and that have led to the loss of livelihoods of our tourism workers. Therefore, we have included them as a priority in terms of the provision of immediate relief through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and for the eventual provision of cash assistance as well as alternative livelihood assistance in the weeks and months to come.”
The DOT is also in the process of preparing other relief measures, including rehabilitation loans under the Turismo Asenso loan programme it handles jointly with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Small Business Corporation (SBCorp), as well as better working connectivity through the efforts of the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the country’s leading telecommunications firms.
Multitudes gather outside a corporate structure in Cebu’s central business district following the 6.9 earthquake (AFP)
Hospitality and real estate firms give updates
In an update published in Cebu broadsheet The Freeman earlier today, several hotel management and real estate companies have been issuing updates regarding the safety of their properties and staff in the province.
Integrated resort development NUSTAR Resort & Casino was one of the first to issue a reassuring update in the immediate aftermath of the quake.
In a statement released on Wednesday, 1st October, NUSTAR executives said: “We have resumed hotel, dining and gaming operations following a thorough safety check together with local authorities. All guests, team members, and partners are safe and well cared for. Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by the earthquake, and we stand by the Cebu community as it recovers and rebuilds.”
Meanwhile, Chroma Hospitality’s Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan conducted a thorough property inspection to assess the area’s overall safety and soundness for the resumption of operations.
Per a statement issued at 8:45am local time on 1st October, Crimson Mactan has already returned to regular operations.
bai Hotel Cebu in Mandaue City’s central business district also conducted a rigorous inspection of the property, especially following the buffeting it got from Typhoon Odette in 2021; the property was reported to be in sound and fully operational condition following the inspection.
It is interesting to note, however, that a statement has yet to be issued by the management of Shangri-La Mactan in the aftermath of the quake.
Other hotels throughout the province are currently conducting thorough safety inspections and are assuring the public that any structural issues will be dealt with immediately and that services will resume as soon as properties are confirmed safe.
An area in one of Cebu’s major cities sustained significant damage during the quake (Getty Images)
Calling on the world for help
While a number of local organisations, media companies, and retailers in the Philippines are opening their doors to donations in cash and kind on the domestic level, those who wish to help from overseas may do so through the national bureaus of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
In a statement issued online on Thursday, 2nd October, the IFRC featured a call for immediate assistance from Philippine Red Cross (PRC) secretary-general Gwen Pang.
Pang said: “Our teams were on the move within hours of the quake, thanks to our strong network of trained staff and dedicated volunteers.The needs are immense, but we continue to strive to provide the much-needed assistance to those affected by the earthquake. We urgently need support to sustain and scale up our operations.”
Per the IFRC, its Philippine bureau needs over US$10 million to aid over 47,000 households who are in sore need of food, clean water, shelter, and medical care.
As IFRC head of delegation in the Philippines Sanjeev Kafley puts it: “This is a compounding crisis, climate emergencies, disasters, and now an earthquake, all hitting communities already under stress. We are committed to supporting the Philippine Red Cross in this emergency and throughout the long road to recovery. But we urgently need the international community’s help to meet immediate needs and support a sustainable, dignified recovery.”
As a way of supporting the Cebu earthquake aid efforts, readers are encouraged to get in touch with their local Red Cross or Red Crescent chapter to see how they can do their part.
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Source: traveldailymedia