MANILA - President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday had a virtual meeting with Philippine disaster officials for updates on the areas hit by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake on Friday.

According to the Presidential Communications Office, Marcos ordered the continuous relief operations in affected areas.

He also ordered them to monitor the situation, especially the aftershocks.

President Marcos Jr conducted a zoom meeting
with Philippine disaster response officials to get updates on government's response efforts to the recent earthquake in Mindanao. (Pictures courtesy: PCO) pic.twitter.com/oJRzrBQZl2

— Pia Gutierrez (@pia_gutierrez) November 19, 2023

Present during the meeting were Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro; Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa; Social Welfare Undersecretary Edu Punay; Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno and other government officials.

Marcos likewise ordered the officials to ensure the safety of residents in the quake-hit areas, and to stay vigilant amid the spread of rumors and misinformation among the residents.

Marcos, who is currently in Hawaii after attending the APEC Leaders' Summit in San Francisco, said he will regularly meet with the officials to get updates on the situation.

While in Hawaii, Marcos is slated to visit the US Indopacom Headquarters, attend a barge tour and wreath-laying ceremony, and attend a meeting at the Daniel Inouye Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies, among others.

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The death toll from the magnitude 6.8 earthquake that struck parts of southern Mindanao last Friday has risen to eight as of Sunday night.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Sunday afternoon reported that 8 people were feared dead and 23 were injured in Friday's major quake.

The NDRRMC added that the earthquake damaged over a hundred infrastructures, including houses, in Sarangani and its neighboring provinces and affected 180 families or 1,509 individuals.

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