Palace urges public to keep calm but alert after Luzon quakes

Malacañang appealed to the public to stay calm but vigilant after three earthquakes jolted parts of Luzon on Saturday afternoon.

“We ask our people to stay calm and yet remain vigilant and alert,” Secretary Ernesto Abella, presidential spokesperson, said in a statement.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported a magnitude-5.6 earthquake that hit Mabini, Batangas at 3:04 p.m.

People in other parts of Luzon, including Metro Manila, felt the Saturday quake, as they did a magnitude-5.5 earthquake that struck Tuesday night near Tingloy, an island municipality, also in Batangas.

READ: 5.4 magnitude earthquake hits Luzon

Following the series of quakes and aftershocks, Abella asked the public to stop spreading fake news about the quake.

“Let us not forward information from unverified sources that may cause undue alarm,’ he said.

READ: After quake, Palace tells public: Don’t spread unverified reports

“Disaster officials are now assessing the situation and will be giving updates to the public as more information about the Saturday earthquake becomes available,” he added. /atm