Duterte orders help for quake victims in Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has directed agencies to extend help to victims of the series of quakes that struck parts of Mindanao Wednesday night, Palace said.

“The Office of the President has already tasked all concerned agencies of the government to mobilize, respond and provide immediate assistance to those in need, as well as to study plans on how to rehabilitate the damaged areas,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Thursday in a statement.

Panelo added that the government, through the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), “is closely monitoring the situation after an earthquake hit many parts of Mindanao.”

The Palace official also expressed sympathies to the victims of the earthquake which reportedly had four casualties and left dozens injured, as of this writing.

READ: Mindanao quake: 4 dead, dozens injured

“The Palace is saddened by this unfortunate incident and, in the meantime, wishes to express its sympathies to those who were affected thereby,” Panelo said.

“We ask the public to remain calm but vigilant and we urge them to refrain from spreading disinformation that may cause undue alarm, panic, and stress to many people,” he added.

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake jolted North Cotabato and nearby provinces Wednesday night, resulting in a number of injured residents and serious damage to several buildings. /je

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