Engineer Roberto Esplida, officer-in-charge of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Palawan, confirmed that a strong earthquake struck the town of Bataraza in October 2015—an event that was not widely known in the province.
The confirmation followed an invitation by th Sangguniang Panlalawigan for PHIVOLCS to appear before them to explain Palawan’s safety from earthquakes following recent events in Cebu, Davao, and other areas in Visayas and Mindanao.
“So yung Bataraza po umabot po… 2015 October po yun… ng Intensity 6 kasi may mga bitak at may mga damage po yung school especially po sa Barangay Tarusan at Bono-Bono,” Esplida said during a session of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Tuesday, November 4.
He clarified that the tremor was “tectonic in origin,” adding, “Hindi po mining yun.”
Esplida explained that at the time, PHIVOLCS only had two monitoring stations in Palawan, one in Puerto Princesa and another in Brooke’s Point, which made it difficult to determine the exact location of the epicenter.
“Dalawang istasyon lang po yung nakarecord, yung Puerto Princesa natin at yung Brooke’s Point Station ng PHIVOLCS,” he said.
Regular quake activity in Palawan
According to Esplida, minor earthquakes are recorded in Palawan every month, mostly offshore near Coron, Agutaya, and Cuyo.
He explained that these small earthquakes, usually magnitude 2 to 3, are normal and not felt by residents.
“Normal po yun na nakakarecord po yung PHIVOLCS ng mga magnitude 2 up to 3 na hindi po nararamdaman ng tao yun kasi yung instrumento lang po namin nakakaramdam ng mga magnitude na yun,” Esplida said.
He also cited other recorded quakes, such as the magnitude 5.1 earthquake in Roxas last year and a magnitude 4.7 in Coron.
Esplida noted that because Palawan rarely experiences strong earthquakes, residents and media outlets often become curious when they see minor tremors on the PHIVOLCS website, such as a 2.8 magnitude quake in Coron, prompting immediate inquiries to the local office.
Expansion of monitoring stations
To improve detection, PHIVOLCS has expanded its network of seismic stations.
“Meron na po tayong mga seismic stations sa Cagayancillo, meron na po tayo sa Cuyo, meron na po tayo sa El Nido, meron tayo sa Coron, meron tayo sa Quezon, Palawan, meron tayo sa Brooke’s Point,” Esplida said.
He added that these are solar-powered and transmit data via satellite for plotting.
Esplida said that by 2026, PHIVOLCS plans to install an additional seismic station on Pag-asa Island in the municipality of Kalayaan as part of its effort to complete a network of monitoring stations around Palawan that can record any ground movement in the province.
Possible tsunami risk
While Palawan has no active fault, Esplida warned that nearby trenches could generate tsunamis that may affect the province.
He explained that a strong earthquake in the Sulu Trench could produce waves up to three meters high that could reach the coast of Puerto Princesa within 10 minutes.
“Yung local tsunami po ay nag-a-arrive po yan sa coastal natin pag malapit lang siya. Let’s say gumalaw yung Negros Trench, yung Sulu Trench. Dyan kasi yung tatamaan yung mga coastal ng Palawan pag gumalaw na yan,” he said.
“Sinisimulate po namin, just in case, kasi medyo itong Sulu trench natin sa southwest, sa south ng Palawan, pag gumalaw ito ay magge-generate siya ng highest magnitude of 8.1. So sinisimulate po namin sa REDAS ito ay umabot ng 3m yung height ng wave na mag-struck sa coastal ng Puerto Princesa,” he said.
Esplida added that PHIVOLCS plans to install tsunami alerting instruments and signage across Palawan.
Training and preparedness
PHIVOLCS has also introduced new software to help local governments monitor earthquakes in real time.
Esplida said that the system automatically uploads earthquake data worldwide whenever a tremor occurs, providing real-time alerts that include the magnitude, depth, and location of the recorded event.
He also encouraged the province to host future PHIVOLCS trainings under the Rapid Earthquake Damage Assessment System (REDAS).
“I encourage you to please request for the training sa REDAS training. Pwede siguro mag-host yung provincial government next year or bigyan nyo ng budget para may-train po natin,” Esplida said.
Officials warn against complacency
Board Member Al Nashier Ibba, who initiated the discussion, said Palawan should remain alert despite its stable geological condition.
“Ang Palawan talaga ang pinaka-safe na place sa buong bansang Pilipinas pagdating sa earthquake, pero siyempre, wag tayong magkampante,” Ibba said.
Board Member Rafael Ortega Jr. also cautioned that Palawan’s reputation as quake-free might lead to relaxed construction practices.
He noted that while Palawan has no active fault or volcano, this perception of safety might send the wrong message to builders and contractors, possibly leading them to be less strict about construction standards.
All buildings, he reminded, should comply with the National Building Code to ensure safety.
“Nakakatuwa na isipin na ang Palawan is walang active fault na kagaya sinasabi nyo at wala rin tayong active volcano. Pero ang iniisip ko baka mamaya magkaroon tayo ng wrong signals, lalo na doon sa mga gumagawa ng buildings natin,” Ortega said.
“Dahil baka mamaya wrong signal ngayon ibinibigay natin… baka mamaya ma-sacrifice naman natin o ma-compromise natin ang structural integrity,” he added.
Coordination and education
Esplida admitted that PHIVOLCS has limited manpower in Palawan and relies on coordination with local governments and schools for earthquake drills and public awareness programs.
He said many schools in Palawan rarely request earthquake drills, unlike other provinces where tremors are frequent.
“So dito kasi sa Palawan ay nakikita namin masyadong hindi-interesado yung… even schools na madalang po yung mga letters sa opisina na dumarating, nagre-request ng earthquake drills,” he said.
He urged continuous public education and quick communication systems in case of emergencies.
He ended his briefing by stressing that disaster readiness should always be a shared responsibility.
“Kami sa PHIVOLCS is service institute po kami, so ibigay sa tao kung anuman po yung nararapat na may paglilingkod ng aming ahensya in terms of disaster management, disaster prevention, and to provide the skills needed in earthquake preparedness,” he said.
