4 dead, 17 missing after building collapse in Philippines

The nine-storey building under construction in Barangay Balibago collapsed into a heap of unstable concrete and steel, leaving rescuers to work through live power lines, shifting debris and a crowded neighborhood of budget hotels, cafés, spas and homes. By Monday, authorities said at least four people had died and 17 others were still missing.

The collapse happened before dawn Sunday, around 2:30 to 3:00 a.m., when many of the workers were believed to be asleep inside. Officials said the site, along Teodoro Street in Angeles City, about 80 kilometers north of Manila, remained extremely dangerous as about 700 firefighters, police officers and disaster-response personnel searched for survivors. Rescuers said they heard voices from beneath the rubble on the first day of operations, a sign of life that kept the effort urgent even as the structure threatened to shift again.

By Sunday afternoon, at least 26 people had been pulled from the scene, including 24 from the collapsed building and two from nearby lodging. Ten of the survivors were taken to hospital with injuries. One of the dead was a 65-year-old Malaysian man, Mohd Rezal bin Abdullah, from Sabah state, who was staying at a nearby apartelle when falling debris struck him. Another trapped worker was later recovered and declared dead on arrival, and by Monday authorities confirmed a third body had been pulled from the rubble.

The disaster quickly became more than a rescue scene. Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vince Dizon said crews were operating in hazardous conditions because debris remained unstable and live power lines were still exposed. Nearby residents were evacuated as a precaution, underscoring how a construction failure in a dense commercial district can endanger guests, workers and families well beyond the site itself. Angeles City Mayor Carmelo “Jon” Lazatin II asked the building owner to coordinate with authorities and send a representative to help verify how many workers had been on site.

Investigators were now looking at whether structural deficiencies or violations of building regulations helped cause the collapse. The Philippine National Police said it was assisting in the probe, while local officials continued to sort through reports from workers, relatives and neighbors waiting outside the perimeter. With 17 still missing and the cause still under review, the central question was no longer only how many were trapped, but whether this collapse could have been prevented.