Around 30 to 40 individuals were feared trapped after a nine-story building under construction collapsed before dawn Sunday in Angeles City, Pampanga, authorities said.
Search and rescue operations were ongoing as of Sunday morning following the collapse along Teodoro Street in Barangay Balibago.
According to Angeles City Information Office head Jay Pelayo, the structure collapsed around 3 a.m. based on initial reports from the Angeles City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
Eight individuals near the area were immediately rescued and sustained only minor injuries and abrasions.
Pelayo said the building foreman and 10 other survivors were able to escape from the rubble and are now under the care of the local government.
“Sa report pa rin as of 6 a.m. ng ACDRRMO, ‘yung foreman ng ginagawang gusali na nag-collapse ay nakalabas kasama ang 10 survivors. Ito ay nasa pangangalaga ng LGU ngayon. Lahat sila ay in stable condition,” Pelayo said.
[Translation: Based on the 6 a.m. report of the ACDRRMO, the foreman of the collapsed building managed to get out along with 10 survivors. They are now under the care of the LGU and all are in stable condition.]
Authorities said most of those still trapped are believed to be construction workers.
“Ang pinangangambahan lang natin ngayon ay ‘yung report ng foreman, na mayroon pang 30 to 40 na na-trap sa ginagawang gusali,” Pelayo said.
[Translation: What concerns us now is the foreman’s report that there may still be 30 to 40 people trapped inside the building under construction.]
A nearby structure was also affected by the collapse. Authorities said a 51-year-old Malaysian tourist trapped in the adjacent area was successfully rescued.
The building was already on its ninth floor at the time of the collapse.
Authorities have activated a unified command system involving multiple agencies for the ongoing disaster response.
The Bureau of Fire Protection is leading the search and rescue operations alongside the city disaster office, while the Philippine National Police is handling security in the area.
Officials said the exact cause of the collapse has yet to be determined. However, authorities noted that heavy rains and strong winds affected Angeles City Saturday night before the incident.
PAGASA recorded around 44 millimeters of rainfall in the city between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday.
Barangay Balibago chairman Joseph Ponce said local authorities are already coordinating with families of those believed missing, including relatives of a barbecue vendor reportedly trapped in the basement area.
Sniffer dogs were also deployed to assist rescuers as operations continued.
