By Anietie anii-bassey
A nine-story building under construction collapsed before dawn Sunday in a city north of the Philippine capital, killing at least one Malaysian tourist and trapping more than 20 people beneath tons of concrete, steel and debris as rescuers raced against time to pull out survivors.
The disaster struck around 2:30 a.m. in Angeles City, Pampanga province, a busy commercial district known for its budget hotels, cafes, spas and residential neighborhoods near the former U.S. Clark Air Base. Authorities said the structure suddenly gave way while many construction workers were asleep inside the ground floor area of the unfinished building.
Emergency officials said at least 24 workers either escaped moments before the collapse or were rescued afterward, while at least 21 others remained trapped under the rubble hours later. Rescue crews confirmed that two victims were found alive beneath the wreckage, but efforts to safely extricate them were slow and dangerous due to unstable debris and the risk of further collapse.
The collapse also affected nearby establishments. Fire Superintendent Maria Lea Sajili said debris from the falling structure struck a nearby lodging house where two Malaysian tourists were staying. One tourist was killed while another suffered injuries and was taken for treatment.
Hundreds of rescuers, including firefighters, police officers, soldiers and volunteers, worked throughout the day searching through shattered concrete slabs, twisted iron bars and mangled aluminum scaffolding. Ambulances, fire trucks and rescue vehicles crowded the streets surrounding the disaster zone as authorities cordoned off the area.
Families of the trapped workers gathered near the site, many crying, praying and desperately waiting for updates about their loved ones. The emotional scenes reflected the growing fear that more casualties could be discovered as rescue teams slowly dug deeper into the mountain of debris.
“This is the worst day of our lives,” said 18-year-old student Joamel Angcao as she waited anxiously with her siblings for news about her parents, who were believed trapped beneath the rubble.
Her parents operated a small food and coffee cart beside the building when it collapsed. Angcao said they had spent years struggling financially to support the education of their children and dreamed of giving them a better future.
Witnesses described terrifying moments before and after the collapse. John Carlo Villarente, a young plumber who had been inside the building earlier in the night, said he narrowly escaped tragedy after leaving the site roughly two hours before the structure crumbled.
“I was so shocked. There were people inside, including my nephew,” Villarente said. “We ran and tried to help but we were not allowed to get near because people said it was very dangerous.”
Another plumber, 41-year-old Randy Alapide, rushed back to the area after hearing about the disaster and assisted rescue workers by drawing maps of the building’s layout to help identify where trapped workers might be located.
“I know three of the missing,” Alapide said. “They are breadwinners and they have families waiting for them.”
Authorities have not yet determined the exact cause of the collapse, although witnesses reported heavy rains and strong winds in the area before the incident. Engineers and investigators were expected to examine whether weather conditions, structural weaknesses or possible construction violations contributed to the tragedy.
Regional police director Brigadier General Jess Mendez said nearly 200 police officers had joined the operation and pledged that rescue efforts would continue nonstop until every missing person was accounted for.
Angeles City has long been one of the Philippines’ major commercial and tourism centers. The city grew rapidly during the decades when the nearby Clark Air Base served as one of the largest American military installations outside the United States before closing in the early 1990s.
Today, the former air base has been transformed into the Clark Freeport Zone, a booming industrial, business and tourism hub located about 80 kilometers north of Manila. The area attracts thousands of visitors and workers each year and has seen rapid construction and development in recent years.
As darkness fell Sunday evening, rescue teams continued carefully removing debris piece by piece, hoping to reach survivors still trapped beneath the collapsed building. Families remained gathered behind police barricades, clinging to hope as sirens echoed through the devastated neighborhood.