A tragic incident occurred in Angeles, north of Manila, where a building under construction collapsed at dawn on Sunday. This event left many families waiting for news about their loved ones.
Lea Casilao, whose husband Joselito was staying at the workers’ barracks, had communicated with him until the evening before the collapse. However, Sunday morning brought silence, with no response to her usual ‘Good morning’ text. It’s likely he was among those trapped in the rubble.
On Monday evening, search and rescue efforts were halted. Rescuers found no signs of life using life locator equipment. By Tuesday, the task had shifted to recovering victims’ remains.
Casilao expressed her despair, saying, ‘My hope of still finding him alive has collapsed,’ as she stayed in a makeshift tent while debris was being cleared.
Maria Leah Sajili, from the regional Bureau of Fire Protection, addressed the affected families, promising, ‘We did everything we could to save lives, and now we have to move forward.’
The collapse led to at least four confirmed deaths. Among the deceased was a Malaysian national. Sixteen individuals, mostly construction workers, are still missing. One of the victims was the father of 19-year-old Evelyn Alicaway, who was unable to reach him after learning of the accident through a video on social media.
This building, approved for nine stories, was under investigation due to construction of a swimming pool on a tenth floor not originally permitted. Although the Philippine labor agency had halted work at the site in September 2025 over safety breaches, they lifted the ban after regulatory compliance.
Rosenda, Alicaway’s mother, urged the building owner to take responsibility and address the consequences faced by the victims’ families, emphasizing their ongoing suffering.