The Post-Great Bohol Earthquake Rehabilitation Plan was favorably endorsed by the Provincial Development Council (PDC) to the Regional Development Council during its Full Council meeting on 3 December 2013 in Tagbilaran City. The plan covers the four sectors (social, infrastructure, economic and development administration) that were heavily devastated by the earthquake of 15 October 2013. The resolution aims to seek financial assistance from local and international funding agencies for Bohol’s rehabilitation, with counterpart funds from the Provincial Government, if necessary.
It may be recalled that at 8:12 am on 15 October 2013, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck Bohol and nearby provinces as recorded by the PHIVOLCS, with epicenter plotted at 6 kilometers S24W of Sagbayan municipality at a focal depth of 12 kilometers. It was later found out to have been generated on the north-western sector of Bohol island by a NE-SW trending reverse fault (hereto named as North Bohol Fault), which had no previous surface manifestation.
Dr. Art Daag of the Geology Division of PHIVOLCS said that the Bohol quake is – historically – the largest quake that happened in the area and was apparently caused by a fault previously unknown to them.
The towns that felt the strongest ground shaking at PEIS VII-VIII were located in the north- and south-western of Bohol, which include Maribojoc, Loon, Tubigon, Calape, Clarin Inabanga, Buenavista, Danao, Sagbayan, Catigbian, San Isidro, Antequerra, Balilihan and Cortes. The temblor caused widespread destruction on roads, bridges, houses, churches, and even icons of Boholano culture and heritage. Damage to buildings and infrastructures were also reported in Tagbilaran City and in the southern municipalities of Loboc, Carmen, Lila, Valencia, Albuquerque, Baclayon and Loay.
The tremor resulted to 211 dead persons, 877 injured and 8 missing persons while lost properties were estimated at a total of P8.7 billion as of 2 December 2013, but the figure continues to increase as more unreported damage assessment from municipalities start to come in.
The proposed reconstruction or rehabilitation of the infrastructures, buildings and facilities will be based on the expert-recommended climate-smart structural design that is resilient to disasters in order to ensure the safety and security of the general public as well as government properties.