Normalcy in the province of Cebu is now gradually being restored after the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that left 70 people dead and several houses and infrastructure damaged last week, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said on Sunday, Oct. 4

In order to further expedite the normalization, acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. said he already ordered the deployment of more policemen and police resources to maximize and speed the distribution of assistance to the affected areas.

So far, he said a number of communities in the northern part of Cebu were already reached by government relief goods and other assistance.

“The quick response and continuous hard work of our personnel on the ground did not only pave the way for government assistance reaching more affected communities especially in the northern part of Cebu but also resulted in gradual restoration of normalcy in the entire province,” said Nartatez.

Thousands of policemen were deployed in Cebu to assist in the disaster response and rehabilitation, among them are 64 personnel from the PNP’s Maritime Group along with five high-speed water crafts.

But Cebu Gov. Pamela Baricuatro sought assistance from the police and the military for the distribution of relief packs to ensure that the assistance will reach all barangays.

“We are coordinating with the local government units, particularly the Provincial Government of Cebu, to map out ways to facilitate and expedite the distribution of assistance down to the farthest affected barangays,” said Nartatez.

“We recognize the urgency of the situation and in response, we have already redirected our personnel on the ground to relief distribution—from clearing the roads and providing security to the transportation and distribution,” he added.

Aside from security and transportation, Nartatez said police forces on the ground are also stepping up police visibility on the roads to help in traffic management as part of the ways to prioritize the transport of relief items and other forms of assistance.

He said a sufficient number of personnel are also on standby, including several mobility assets that include personnel and resources from the Maritime Group.

Nartatez said they are also closely monitoring the situation on the ground to identify the areas where the PNP could provide assistance.

“This is a whole-of-government approach to ensure that all the assistance is provided on time and to all our kababayan. We remain focused on our goal and together, we shall prevail,” he said.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said that the number of people reported to have died from the devastating earthquake in Bogo City was at 70.

So far, a total of 53 cities/municipalities in Region 7 were declared under a state of calamity, the NDRRMC said.