On 30 September 2025, a Mw 6.9 earthquake struck 19km northeast near Bogo City in northern Cebu, severely affecting municipalities (Bogo, Daanbantayan, Medellin, San Remigio, Tabuelan) and was also strongly felt across the Visayas and parts of Luzon and Mindanaothe municipalities of Daanbantayan, San Remegio, and Medellin. As of 10 October, an estimated 179,252 families (669,794 people) across 245 barangays in Cebu Province have been affected. Coming just after Typhoon Ragasa, and in a context of poverty and economic hardship, this earthquake has severely increased the needs of affected communities.
Acted, present in the Philippines since 2012 with experience in emergency response and long-term resilience programming, conducted a Rapid Needs Assessment (RNA) to identify urgent needs and guide the immediate response. Findings reveal critical gaps in water, sanitation, shelter, food assistance, and infrastructure repair.
As of 10 October:
Across the affected municipalities, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene challenges pose the most urgent concern. Open defecation in makeshift camps and the rapid accumulation of unmanaged waste are heightening health and protection risks. Food security is also emerging as a growing concern, with current assistance only lasting a few days. Many families remain outside their homes, urgently requiring shelter support and psychosocial assistance. The following provides a detailed overview of the situation in the most affected municipalities.
San Remegio: Around 20,000 families affected. Major infrastructure damage, widespread housing destruction, and interruptions to water supply have left families dependent on bottled water and makeshift shelters.
Daanbantayan: Around 10,572 families affected. Already struggling with a 70% poverty rate, many households face urgent food insecurity. Water systems remain non-functional, and damaged toilets have increased open defecation.
Medellin: Around 19,381 families affected. Water trucking and bottled water distributions remain insufficient. Toilets and WASH facilities have been badly damaged, and schools are closed indefinitely.
Acted’s Response on the Ground
Alongside assessments, Acted has already started providing emergency assistance. In total, 592 water kits have been distributed so far, accompanied by the dissemination of key hygiene messages to prevent disease outbreaks.
Acted’s Priorities Moving Forward
The assessment highlights urgent needs in shelter, food assistance, water, sanitation and hygiene and protection, especially for vulnerable households in hard-to-reach areas. Acted’s priorities for the first phase of the response are:
- Safe water and sanitation access through the repair and restruction of water supply and sanitation facilities at the household and community level
- Emergency shelter support, including durable tarpaulins and repair kits.
- Hygiene and protection, with hygiene kits, solar lights, and safe sanitation solutions.
- Psychosocial support to help families cope with trauma and displacement.
Coming just after Typhoon Ragasa, and in a context of poverty and economic hardship, this earthquake has severely increased the needs of affected communities. The situation is further complicated by the Philippines’ extreme vulnerability to climate change, having already experienced multiple typhoons and tropical storms, which hinder the delivery of assistance and emergency aid. As the country enters peak typhoon season, these challenges are expected to intensify. Notably, the Philippines has just been declared once again the country with the highest overall disaster risk in the 2025 World Risk Index, underscoring the persistent and escalating hazards faced by its population.