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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider No one can predict quakes—not even animals, Phivolcs says

No one can predict quakes—not even animals, Phivolcs says

Published Oct 10, 2025 04:54 pm
PHIVOLCS
PHIVOLCS
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday, Oct. 10 warned the public against false information circulating online about supposed earthquake predictions and claims that unusual animal behavior can signal an impending tremor.
Phivolcs Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol said that misinformation typically spreads after major earthquakes, with some people claiming to foresee or detect future quakes.
“Maraming kumakalat sa social media. Ito yung nangyayari kapag may big earthquake. Everyone nagiging earthquake expert (A lot of things spread on social media. Whenever a big earthquake happens, everyone suddenly becomes an earthquake expert),” Bacolcol said in a press conference.
He reiterated that no scientific method or technology can predict exactly when or where an earthquake will happen.
“There is no technology yet, as of the moment, that can exactly tell us when an earthquake would happen,” he said.

“So kapag may mga natanggap kayo na forwarded posts about magkakaroon ng earthquake in the next few days, ay hindi po ‘yan totoo (If you receive forwarded posts saying an earthquake will happen in the next few days, that’s not true),” he added.
Bacolcol also dismissed long-standing beliefs that animal behavior can foretell earthquakes, saying such claims have no scientific basis.
“Even the so-called unusual animal behavior ay hindi po ‘yan totoo (is not true). There is no scientific basis for that,” he said.
Phivolcs urged the public to rely only on official advisories and updates from government agencies.
“We understand people’s anxiety after a major quake, but please get information from verified sources,” Bacolcol said.

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