3 mothers gave birth inside tents after earthquake

Doctors and nurses at the Cebu City Medical Center assisted three mothers who gave birth inside emergency tents set up outside the facility last Tuesday, September 30.

Dr. Gracita Rabago, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital, was one of the last to leave the building while caring for three mothers who gave birth.

Doctor Rabago said she had already thought of having to deliver another baby by the roadside because of the urgency of the situation. 

“That was one of my most unforgettable experiences in 2025,” she said.

Despite heavy rains and possible aftershocks, another mother gave birth on the side of the road after the earthquake hit the city. 

The mother was already in active labor and was forced to give birth under the rain with only basic supplies available.

Authorities said all newborns and their mothers were stable and are now under medical observation in temporary care units.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that the quake’s epicenter was located off Dalaguete, Cebu, followed by several aftershocks.

Local governments declared a state of calamity as the earthquake left at least 72 people dead and damaged homes, schools, and hospitals as of October 2.

As of October 2, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed at least 72 fatalities, 294 injured, and nearly 20,000 displaced persons.