Three earthquakes struck Batangas province on Saturday afternoon, damaging several buildings and sending panicked residents scurrying to safer ground.
Hundreds of residents of coastal areas fled to higher ground fearing a tsunami -- an event that is unlikely because the "earthquake swarm" was not powerful enough, said the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
Batangas officials said there were no reports of casualties, but power was cut in some areas and cracks were reported in homes and some commercial buildings.
Landslides were also reported in some towns while portions of several buildings had collapsed, they said.
Below are some scenes of the panic and destruction triggered by the powerful tremor.
Walls of the Mabini General Hospital were damaged by the quake.
Dennis Datu, DZMM
A portion of Camp Netanya's walls collapsed and fell on vehicles parked within the resort's premises.
Courtesy of Ryan Panganiban Valle
Roads in Barangay Pagkilatan, Batangas City, were rendered impassable after boulders from a landslide ended up blocking them.
Courtesy of Rod Ebora Panganiban
Various items lie scattered on the floor of a convenience store in Mabini town.
Dennis Datu, DZMM
A wall collapsed on three tricycles in Mabini town. No one was reported injured in the incident.
Dennis Datu, DZMM
In fear of aftershocks, some residents in Mabini town spent the night on pavements outside their homes.
Dennis Datu, DZMM
Relief supplies start to pour in for quake-hit Mabini town.
Dennis Datu, DZMM
People gather in front of SMX Convention Center in Pasay City just after an earthquake occurred Saturday afternoon.
Courtesy of Mel Cortez, Decisive Moments
A hospital in the municipality of Tingloy, Batangas told its staff to evacuate.
Joey Palogme
Passengers at the Batangas City Port scampered to safety after feeling the ground shake.
Photo courtesy of Bayan Patroller Dianne Mortel
Classes were stopped as students and faculty members of the University of Santo Tomas in Manila were ordered to leave the building and proceed to open spaces within the campus.
A concrete wall collapsed in the coastal village of Pulambuli in Sto. Tomas town.
Courtesy of Lourdes Mindeoro
Cracks are seen on the ground outside a house in Manggahan, Tingloy Batangas.
Photo courtesy of Carina Castillo
The cement wall of a house collapsed in Manggahan, Tingloy.
Photo courtesy of Carina Castillo Marilyn Castillo
-- With reports from Reuters; Dennis Datu, DZMM