ILOILO City – Operations at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol and Iloilo City Hall were temporarily disrupted on Thursday, January 23, following tremors felt at around 11:41 a.m.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the earthquake, with a magnitude of 5.4, occurred in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte.
The quake had a depth of 43 kilometers and was tectonic in origin.
Intensity levels were reported as follows: Intensity V in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte; Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay; and City of Isabela; Intensity IV in Zamboanga City, Sibuco (Zamboanga del Norte), Dimataling (Zamboanga del Sur), and Alicia (Zamboanga Sibugay); Intensity III in Dipolog City, President Manuel A. Roxas (Zamboanga del Norte), Buug, and Siay (Zamboanga Sibugay); Intensity II in San Jose (Antique), Himamaylan City (Negros Occidental), and Molave (Zamboanga del Sur); and Intensity I in Kabankalan City (Negros Occidental).
Although no earthquake was recorded directly in Iloilo City or Iloilo province, PHIVOLCS Metro Manila representative Julius Galdiano noted that the tremors might have been felt in some areas due to the quake’s depth, which allowed the vibrations to spread widely.
Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head Cornelio Salinas confirmed there was no reported damage to the provincial capitol building or other structures in the province.
As a precaution, the PDRRMO ordered the evacuation of all employees and the public transacting business at the capitol to the designated evacuation area in front of the National Museum Western Visayas Regional Museum.
After a thorough integrity check of the capitol building by engineers, it was declared safe, and employees were instructed to return to their offices to resume work.
“We conducted an integrity check to ensure the building’s structural safety. Once confirmed, we allowed employees to return,” said Salinas.
Salinas commended the employees for their calm and readiness during the evacuation, citing their adherence to the “duck, cover, and hold” protocol practiced in regular earthquake drills.
“Their cooperation and preparedness show that our drills are effective. In such situations, it is crucial to perform ‘duck, cover, and hold’ and avoid areas where falling debris may pose risks,” Salinas added.
Similarly, employees and the public at Iloilo City Hall were also evacuated. After confirming that the building sustained no structural damage, everyone was allowed to return to their offices to continue work./PN
