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Rescue teams in the Philippines continued search operations for a second day after a multi-storey building under construction collapsed in Angeles city near Manila. Authorities confirmed that four people had died while 17 remained missing, most of them construction workers feared trapped under the debris. Rescue teams used manual methods, K9 units and thermal scanners to locate survivors as unstable conditions prevented the use of heavy machinery. Families of missing workers expressed frustration over limited updates from officials. Investigators have started examining the cause of the collapse, while labour authorities revealed that the site had previously faced safety-related violations and a temporary work stoppage order in 2025.
Rescue teams in the Philippines continued efforts through the past day to locate survivors trapped under the debris of a collapsed building under construction in Angeles city, around 80 km north of Manila. Authorities said four people had died in the incident, while 17 others remained missing, with most believed to be construction workers working at the site when the structure gave way. Advertisement
Search operations entered a critical stage as rescuers avoided using heavy equipment due to fears that the unstable structure could shift further and trap survivors deeper beneath the rubble. Teams instead relied on manual clearing methods under extreme heat conditions, carefully removing broken concrete, twisted metal and collapsed scaffolding by hand.
K9 search units and thermal scanning equipment were deployed after rescue teams detected possible signs of heartbeats and breathing beneath the debris overnight. Authorities also inserted yellow air tubes into gaps within the collapsed structure to channel oxygen into spaces where survivors could still be trapped.
Families waiting near the site raised concerns over the lack of information about missing relatives. Lea Casilao, whose husband worked at the construction site, said her children continued asking about their father but the family had not received clear updates from rescue authorities. She expressed hope that rescuers might still get a response if they called out to trapped workers.
Another resident, Noby Batar, appealed for information about her husband Emmanuel, who is also feared trapped beneath the rubble. Her daughter Stephanie joined the emotional appeal as families continued waiting near the disaster area for updates from search teams.
Officials confirmed that a third body was recovered from the site during the rescue operation, taking the death toll to four. According to the regional Bureau of Fire Protection, one of the victims recovered earlier was initially found with a pulse but later died, while another suffered cardiac arrest while still trapped beneath the debris.
Authorities also recovered the body of a 65-year-old Malaysian national from a nearby hotel structure that was affected by the collapse. Officials indicated that more victims could still be trapped under the wreckage.
An investigation has now been launched to determine the exact cause of the collapse. Authorities are also attempting to contact the building owner and verify the number of workers present at the site during the incident.
Planning records reviewed by officials showed that the project had approval for a nine-storey condo-hotel development. However, authorities said a swimming pool was being constructed on an additional tenth floor at the time of the collapse.
The incident has also drawn attention to previous safety concerns linked to the construction site. Labour officials revealed that the Department of Labour and Employment had issued a work stoppage order in September 2025 after inspectors identified several occupational health and safety violations. The order was later lifted a month afterward after the company reportedly complied with the required safety measures.
The collapse has once again highlighted concerns around construction safety standards in rapidly developing urban areas across the Philippines. Similar incidents in the past have led to stricter scrutiny of high-rise construction projects, especially those involving modifications beyond approved plans.
Source Reuters
5th Jun, 2025
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