AT LEAST 26 individuals were rescued from a collapsed nine-story under construction building in Angeles City, Pampanga on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
In a radio interview, Angeles City Information Office head Jay Pelayo said based on initial assessment, around 30 to 40 individuals are possibly trapped after the structure located along Teodoro Street in Barangay Balibago, collapsed around 3 a.m.
Search and rescue operations are still ongoing.
Bureau of Fire Protection officer-in-charge Wilberto Tiu said signs of life have been monitored under the fallen debris.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) also deployed necessary equipment and personnel to help in the ongoing operations.
Police Regional Office Central Luzon (PRO 3) Director Brigadier General Jess Mendez personally spearheaded the ongoing search and rescue operations.
He ordered the immediate deployment of personnel to assist in area security, traffic management, and coordination with Bureau of Fire Protection, City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and other responding agencies.
A total 175 personnel from PRO 3 personnel, 23 from Armed Forces of the Philippines, and 245 from BFP were already deployed.
Mendez assured the public of PRO 3’s full support and emphasized the importance of swift action, teamwork, and public safety during critical incidents. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
