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Best Low-Cost Coins with Big Potential in 2025

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Best Low-Cost Coins with Big Potential in 2025

Buying cheap cryptocurrencies, this is probably the goal of every investor. The lower the entry price, the higher the potential return. Cryptocurrencies are notoriously volatile, and investors can often buy cryptocurrencies cheaply.

How can you find cheap cryptocurrencies? How can you find the best entry prices? Which are the best cheap cryptocurrencies with potential in 2025? What are the opportunities and risks of cheap cryptocurrencies? We answer all of these questions in the following guide for investors and anyone who wants to become one.

Best Cheap Coins to Watch Closely in 2025

1st place: Bitcoin Hyper

With an entry price of around one cent, Bitcoin Hyper is currently one of the cheapest ways to participate in a Bitcoin-like Layer 2 project. If you love Bitcoin but want low fees and speed, this is the perfect alternative.

Thanks to efficient tokenomics and high staking rewards, investors not only receive low entry costs but also return opportunities on multiple levels.

Reasons to buy Bitcoin Hyper:

  • Currently still very low presale price
  • Long-term potential with growing adaptation
  • Passive income possible through staking

2nd place: Maxi Doge

With a starting price of just $0.00025, Maxi Doge is a prime example of a low-cost cryptocurrency with high leverage potential. The 50 presale phases ensure transparent price development, each new phase increases the token’s price. Early buyers not only secure more $MAXI but also a strategic advantage over later buyers.

Despite the low price, the branding is anything but cheap: Maxi Doge delivers a highly viral story, a growing community, and clearly communicated roadmap elements such as staking, listings, and community events.

Advantages at a glance:

  • Starting price under $0.0003
  • Ethereum token, not an experimental layer
  • Cheap, but strongly staged and highly marketed

3rd place: PEPENODE

PEPENODE is now among the most economical ways to get involved in a cutting-edge cryptocurrency project, with a starting price of just $0.001004 per token. Both novice and seasoned traders find the coin appealing due to its low entry price and entertaining mining features.

A possible benefit for early investors is that demand for the token can rise sharply as player numbers rise because it is necessary as in-game currency within the game itself.

Price-performance advantages:

  • Extremely low entry price
  • High utility value in the mining game
  • Potential for increased demand at launch
  • Attractive for broad target groups

Which Cheap Cryptocurrencies Could Explode in 2025?

Can you make money with cheap cryptocurrencies? Absolutely! This is certainly evident from a look at the historical price performance of well-known, inexpensive coins; some of the most impressive price explosions have occurred with cheap cryptocurrencies. Let’s use two examples to illustrate this: Shiba Inu and Polygon.

Shiba Inu

One SHIB was available for purchase on January 1, 2021, for $0.000000000073. Approximately a year later, the same coins were worth about $0.000034. This is a 46,000,000% return on investment over the previous year.

By the end of 2021, an investor who had put in only $2 on January 1st would have become a billionaire! Naturally, not all low-cost cryptocurrencies will see such a price spike, but it shows the tremendous potential of popular, low-cost coins.

Polygon

One MATIC was worth USD 0.01796 on January 1, 2021, and by the end of the year, it was worth USD 2.56. This is a remarkable 14.254% price increase year over year! Thus, an investment of $100 USD would have grown to $14,200 USD.

Regretfully, forecasting cryptocurrency prices or selecting the most affordable cryptocurrencies is quite challenging and uncertain. It’s impossible to definitively say which cheap coins will explode next. Furthermore, the current bearish macro environment is an obstacle that will only improve over a period of months.

However, from a historical perspective, we can identify some factors that will distinguish the next winner:

Passionate community: Crypto explosions are a viral phenomenon. The Shiba Army has shown this: successful crypto projects gather a passionate community of users who promote the project on Twitter, Reddit, TikTok, and other platforms. Be sure to keep an eye on the vibrancy of social media channels!

Understandable use case: Complex crypto projects can generate benefits, but they won’t explode in price. “Shiba Inu is a community-driven cryptocurrency,” “MATIC makes Ethereum scalable and transactions finally cheap”, these value propositions, known as “narratives,” are compelling and generate demand and hype.

Perfect timing: A healthy dose of luck is also required. Anyone launching NFT gaming coins with a metaverse narrative right now has a very good chance, despite a rather bearish market.

Combining trends: The best crypto teams recognize the zeitgeist and launch their well-designed projects in the right market environment. Because there are several attractive crypto narratives, projects that combine several trends, such as NFTs, play-to-earn, DeFi, and metaverse, are the most promising.Those who pay attention to these factors during their research maximize their chances of choosing a good token and are likely to buy the right, affordable cryptocurrency.

How to Buy Cryptocurrencies Cheaply: Smart Saving Tips

There is more to take into account than just the cost of individual coins if you want to purchase cryptocurrencies as cheaply as possible. Investors should pay particular attention to the extra expenses and fees related to buying cryptocurrency. These can mount up quickly and severely lower the real return on investment.

Here are the most important savings tips for buying cheap cryptocurrencies:

Pay attention to gas fees: Gas fees must be taken into account for every transaction conducted directly on the blockchain. If they are currently particularly high, you can switch to a better time on the weekend or after hours.

Avoid Ethereum DEX: A DEX on the Ethereum blockchain can be associated with horrendous gas fees exceeding EUR 10 per trade.

Choose a low-cost broker: The best option for buying cryptocurrencies cheaply is a low-cost crypto broker like eToro. This broker waives deposit fees and commissions and funds itself through extremely low spreads for most coins.

Timing your purchase: Ultimately, the most important saving tip is to avoid buying the wrong coins at a high price. This is the biggest money-loss factor; the most important thing is to buy the best coins at the best price.

Best Times to Invest in Cheap Cryptocurrencies

There are two or three good times to invest in cheap cryptocurrencies: pre-sale, market correction, bear market.

Presale

Perhaps the best time to buy cheap cryptocurrencies is during the so-called pre-sale. A pre-sale, or ” sale before the sale,” is usually a limited-time period during which the token of a new, promising crypto project can be purchased at a discounted price.

The intention behind a pre-sale is for a crypto project to quickly gain a larger pool of supporters and investors in order to raise the necessary capital for the efficient further development of the project or protocol.

As a reward for their early support, these investors can receive the token at a price below the official issue price in the main sale, or general token sale. As an investor, you can thus obtain particularly cheap cryptocurrencies at perhaps the best time, namely just before the general token sale and the crypto project’s big launch.

As we already saw in the examples mentioned at the beginning, the trick to crypto investing is to be a little earlier than the vast majority of investors. This way, you can ride the uptrend and realize a lucrative profit near the all-time high.

Market Correction

A market correction in the crypto market is a sudden price drop of 15-25% in a general bull market characterized by rising prices. Such price drops occur repeatedly, especially in cryptocurrencies, due to the usual “FUD” (fear, uncertainty, and doubt), such as regulatory threats or a major crypto hack.

This FUD usually dissipates after a few days, and prices tend to continue rising.

Bear Market

A bear market is a prolonged period of several weeks or months characterized by a sustained loss of value followed by a boring sideways price fluctuation.

Many users leave the market disappointed during this phase, which opens up a market opportunity for smart investors: During this phase, most coins can be purchased as cheap cryptocurrencies because they benefit from the most attractive valuation possible.

Anyone with a time horizon of several months to years can use cost averaging to buy cheaply and calmly wait for the upcoming increase in value of the particularly cheap coins.

Key Factors to Consider Before Buying Cheap Cryptocurrencies

The focus on buying cheap cryptocurrencies essentially represents a very specific investment strategy; it focuses on a specific type of project within the cryptocurrency asset class. Despite this focus, investors should keep in mind the general principles of successful investing:

Diversify broadly: Buying cheap cryptocurrencies only makes sense if the investment represents only a small portion of a broadly diversified portfolio. It should consist of investments in multiple asset classes and in several cheap cryptocurrencies rather than just one.

Risk management: Invest only a small amount in cheap cryptocurrencies, never risk more than you can afford to lose.

Use secure wallets: Cryptocurrencies must be stored securely; small amounts can be stored in a web wallet such as MetaMask; larger amounts held for a long time should be stored in a compatible hardware wallet.

Cost averaging effect: Those who want to buy cheap cryptocurrencies may be tempted to buy large amounts all at once. However, the price could fall even further. Therefore, buy small amounts at regular intervals so that, on average, you buy at a particularly low price.DYOR: Do your own research. No single online article should represent the entire research for an investment. Therefore, analyze individual low-cost cryptocurrencies in detail, paying attention to aspects such as team, token economics, use cases, partnerships, etc.

Why Cheap Cryptos Could Be Your Next Big Opportunity?

Buying cheap cryptocurrencies is the secret to success for high returns in the crypto market. Cheap coins are those with a low nominal price and a favorable valuation. Those who pay attention to the right coin and a good entry point, such as a pre-sale or a market correction, can achieve above-average returns.

It’s also important that the token offers real added value and is linked to a real use case. And: It pays to be quick.

Mandaue City to Launch 24/7 Suicide and Mental Health Hotline

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Mandaue City to Launch 24/7 Suicide and Mental Health Hotline
Photo from Unsplash

The Mandaue City Government is set to launch a 24/7 suicide and mental health hotline on October 13, 2025, strengthening its response to rising mental health concerns and suicide-related incidents.

Round-the-Clock Mental Health Support

Photo from Freepik

The hotline will be housed at the City Health Office’s operations center, structured like a command center for efficient coordination. Calls are expected to last 30 to 40 minutes on average, with trained psychometricians providing immediate counseling.

For critical situations, the system is designed to quickly connect with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and ambulance services, ensuring rapid deployment of emergency responders.

Addressing High-Risk Hours

Photo from Freepik

The city anticipates most calls will come in during late evenings and early mornings, when vulnerable individuals are more likely to experience crises. With its 24/7 operation, the hotline will be able to provide help at any hour, offering residents a reliable safety net in moments of need.

Expanding Mental Health Programs

Photo from Mandaue City Public Information Office

Beyond the hotline, Mandaue City has been expanding its mental health efforts through psychoeducation, counseling, and inter-agency collaboration. More than 13,000 individuals have joined awareness sessions across schools, communities, and workplaces.

Partnerships with the University of San Carlos have boosted the city’s capacity for assessment and treatment. A registered psychologist has also been assigned to strengthen clinical support for residents in need.

Launching on Mental Health Day

Photo from Unsplash

The hotline will be officially launched during the city’s Mental Health Day celebration on October 13. The program will open with a Holy Mass at 4:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Parish, followed by activities at the City Hall grounds led by Mayor Thadeo Jovito “Jonkie” Ouano.

Through this initiative, Mandaue City aims to make mental health services more accessible and responsive. By establishing a hotline that operates day and night, the city provides a vital lifeline for residents in crisis, helping to build a more supportive and compassionate community.

Ang Pagpakigbisog sa Sugbo

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Ang Pagpakigbisog sa Sugbo
Photo from Department of Tourism

The night the 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck northern Cebu, homes fell, roads cracked, and thousands were displaced. Fear spread quickly, but so did something stronger, the strong spirit of unity.

Generosity That Flows

Photo from Cebu Province
Photo from Cebu Province

Help came in waves, from government funds and provincial aid to donations of food, water, and clothes from ordinary families. Big or small, every act of giving became a beacon of hope, reminding survivors that they were never forgotten.

The Hands of Volunteers

Photo from Cebu Province
Photo from Ram Marcelita

Cebu’s response was powered by people. Students, workers, professionals, and strangers stood side by side repacking goods, caring for evacuees, and delivering supplies. Their hands carried not only relief but also comfort and compassion.

Strength in Prayers

Photo from Ram Marcelita
Photo from Cebu Province

Amid aftershocks and sleepless nights, prayers rose like steady light. In homes and chapels, in silence and in song, people drew strength from faith. These prayers wrapped survivors in reassurance and reminded them of hope beyond hardship.

Resilience of the Cebuano

Photo from Josh F. Almonte
Photo from Josh F. Almonte

Through loss and uncertainty, Cebuanos stood tall. Families shared what little they had, children found joy in play, and communities leaned on one another. The earthquake shook the ground, but it could not break their courage.

Moving Forward Together

Photo from Cebu Province
Photo from Josh F. Almonte

The path to recovery will be long, yet Cebu’s story is no longer only about disaster. It is about generosity, service, faith, and resilience. Out of the rubble rises not just a province, but a people whose hearts remain unshaken.

No Proof No Relief in Cebu’s Quake Aftermath?

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No Proof No Relief in Cebu’s Quake Aftermath?
Photo from Cebu Province

The recent earthquake in Cebu left deep cracks across the province, both in concrete walls and in the lives of those who call it home. In the aftermath, survivors gathered at evacuation centers and relief stations, expecting immediate assistance. What they found instead was a process that required evidence of their suffering.

Aid Behind Papers and Photos

Photo from Cebu Province
Photo from Cebu Province

Relief distribution came with a condition, victims were asked to present documents or photographs proving that their houses were damaged. Families without such proof were told they could not receive goods. This requirement, while designed to prevent misuse of aid, left many empty-handed. Renters, informal settlers, and those who lost everything in the quake were among the most affected. For them, the rule turned into an invisible barrier that excluded their needs from being recognized.

The Voices of the Left Behind

Photo from Department of Tourism

Mothers carrying children stood in long lines only to be sent away. Elderly residents who could barely walk were asked for property papers they never had. Survivors who escaped collapsing homes were told to return and take photographs, an impossible and dangerous task when aftershocks still rattled the city. For those already traumatized by the quake, being denied food and water compounded their despair.

Relief Beyond Red Tape

Photo from archive
Photo from Doc Nikki Catalan

Local volunteers, church groups, and independent organizations tried to bridge the gap, offering food, clean water, and blankets without requiring proof. Their efforts became lifelines for those excluded from official relief. Yet supplies were limited, and without government support, many families continued to struggle. The contrast between grassroots aid and bureaucratic distribution sparked public debate on compassion versus accountability in times of crisis.

Rethinking Disaster Response

Photo from BFP Lapu- Lapu Fire District
Photo from Cebu Province

The earthquake not only tested the strength of Cebu’s infrastructure but also the systems meant to protect its people. While preventing fraud in aid distribution is important, demanding paperwork from survivors risks overlooking the very individuals most in need. The disaster highlighted the urgent need for a more inclusive and humane response system, one that prioritizes compassion without losing accountability.

As Cebu rebuilds, the challenge is no longer just about repairing homes but about restoring trust in relief efforts. For earthquake survivors, help should not depend on the papers they carry, but on the urgency of their hunger and the reality of their loss.

The Ozone Layer Is Healing

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The Ozone Layer Is Healing
Photo from Unsplash

The ozone layer, Earth’s natural shield against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays, is slowly healing. The United Nations says it could fully recover to the levels of the 1980s by the middle of this century, showing that global cooperation can really work.

Why the Ozone Layer Matters

Photo from Unsplash

The ozone layer is a thin layer high up in the sky that protects all life on Earth from harmful UV radiation. Without it, people are at higher risk of skin cancer and eye problems, and plants, animals, and crops can also be damaged. Keeping it healthy is essential for life on our planet.

How It Got Damaged

Photo from Unsplash

In the 1970s, scientists discovered that chemicals called CFCs and HCFCs, used in refrigerators, air conditioners, aerosol sprays, and firefighting foam, were destroying ozone in the atmosphere. These chemicals caused the ozone layer to thin, creating the famous “ozone hole” over Antarctica.

How the World Responded

Photo from Unsplash

Countries around the world took action. In 1985, the Vienna Convention first addressed ozone depletion, and in 1987, the Montreal Protocol required nations to stop using harmful chemicals. Over 99% of these ozone-depleting substances have now been phased out worldwide.

In 2016, the Kigali Amendment targeted HFCs, chemicals that replaced CFCs but contribute to global warming. Reducing HFCs could prevent up to 0.5°C of global warming by the end of this century.

Signs of Healing

Recent reports show that the ozone hole over Antarctica was smaller in 2024 than in recent years. While natural weather patterns helped temporarily, the long-term trend shows real recovery. Experts estimate the ozone layer will return to normal:

  • For most of the world by 2040
  • Over the Arctic by 2045
  • Over Antarctica by 2066

The Antarctic ozone hole is showing signs of healing, with slower thinning in early spring and faster recovery later in the season.

Challenges Still Remain

Photo from Unsplash

Recovery is not guaranteed. Events related to climate change, like wildfires, can slow healing. For example, Australia’s 2019-2020 bushfires destroyed about 1% of the ozone layer in the Southern Hemisphere. Continued global efforts are needed to keep the recovery on track.

What This Teaches Us

Photo from Unsplash

The healing of the ozone layer proves that countries can work together to solve big environmental problems. It shows that when science guides action, change is possible. The ozone layer’s recovery is a reminder that taking care of our planet can have real, lasting results.

PAL Launches Direct Cebu-Guam Flights This December

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PAL Launches Direct Cebu-Guam Flights This December
Photo from Unsplash

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is expanding its Visayas network with the introduction of nonstop Cebu–Guam flights, effective December 16. The new service will provide travelers with a faster and more convenient connection between the central Philippines and the US Pacific territory. Read more for the flight schedule.

Flight Schedule

Photo from Unsplash

The Cebu–Guam service will operate three times weekly.

  • Cebu to Guam: Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, departing at 9:40 p.m. and arriving at 3:25 a.m. local time.
  • Guam to Cebu: Every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, departing at 5:15 a.m. and arriving at 6:50 a.m.

Flights will be operated using PAL’s Airbus A321ceo aircraft.

Strengthening Cebu as a Gateway

Photo from Unsplash

The addition of this route reinforces Cebu’s role as a strategic international hub. With direct access to Guam, travelers can now bypass Manila and connect straight to the Visayas and Mindanao. This development also positions Mactan-Cebu International Airport as a stronger gateway for business and leisure travel in the region.

Serving Guam’s Filipino Community

Photo from Unsplash

Guam’s population of nearly 179,000 includes a large Filipino community that makes up almost 30 percent of the island’s residents. The direct link to Cebu will provide easier access for overseas Filipinos to visit their families while also encouraging stronger cultural and social ties between the two destinations.

Boosting Tourism and Trade

Photo from Unsplash

The Cebu–Guam connection is expected to encourage more inbound travel to the Philippines, with visitors from the US Pacific territory gaining faster access to the country’s central and southern islands. At the same time, the route supports trade and economic opportunities, strengthening the flow of goods, services, and investments between the two markets.

Expanding PAL’s US Network

Photo from Unsplash

The new Cebu–Guam service complements PAL’s existing daily Manila–Guam flights. It also joins the airline’s broader US route network, which includes Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and Honolulu. By diversifying its gateways, PAL continues to offer more options for Filipinos and international travelers alike.

Is “Duck, Cover, and Hold” Enough

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Is “Duck, Cover, and Hold” Enough
Photo from Pexels

On September 30, 2025, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck northern Cebu. Amid the devastation, the question arose, is the standard safety drill of duck, cover, and hold sufficient?

The Safety Drill

Photo grab from Philippine Statistics Authority Benguet
Photo grab from pro7.pnp.gov.ph website

Duck, cover, and hold teaches people to drop, shield themselves under furniture, and hold on until shaking stops. It protects against falling objects and broken glass, which are the main causes of injury during earthquakes. For many, this reflex can make the difference between minor injury and serious harm.

Its Limits

Photo from Stin Oncenes
Photo from Cebu Hipster

The Cebu quake showed the drill has limits. In collapsing buildings, no posture alone can guarantee safety. Some alternative strategies, like lying beside heavy objects, exist but remain controversial. The effectiveness of any method depends on building quality and the intensity of the quake.

Lessons From Cebu

Photo from Dan Rosalejos Diamos
Photo from Cebu Province

The disaster highlighted the need for more than quick reactions. Structural integrity, community drills, and emergency readiness are equally critical. Poorly built homes and old churches collapsed despite people following safety procedures. Preparedness must include both personal actions and environmental resilience.

Moving Forward

Photo from Cebu Province
Photo from Josh F. Almonte

Duck, cover, and hold remains essential but is not enough by itself. True safety requires reinforced buildings, public awareness, and a good emergency system. When the next quake hits, survival will depend on instincts and the strength of the world around us.

Sleeping in Plastic Bags, While Leaders Sleep in Luxury

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Sleeping in Plastic Bags, While Leaders Sleep in Luxury
Photo from Arg De Real

In Medellin, survivors of the quake spent the night not in evacuation centers with beds and blankets, but out in the open, under the pouring rain. With nothing to protect themselves, they turned to plastic bags as makeshift roofs and blankets.

Imagine that, mothers trying to keep their babies warm with plastic scraps, elderly people shivering on the damp ground, children asking why their house was gone. Victims had just survived a powerful earthquake, only to battle hunger, cold, and fear in the aftermath.

Photo from Arg De Real

Meanwhile, in Halls of Power…

Photo from Unsplash

As survivors huddled beneath plastic bags, the country’s corrupt politicians slept soundly on imported mattresses inside air-conditioned mansions. The same money that should have built sturdy homes, stocked relief goods, and funded disaster response has instead lined the pockets of those who swore an oath to serve.

Luxury watches worth millions, designer handbags straight from Europe, convoys of luxury cars, these have become the “relief goods” of politicians who plunder public funds. Every peso stolen is a blanket never bought, a bed never given, an evacuation center never built.

Photo from Unsplash

Corruption: The Real Aftershock

Photo from Freepik

Earthquakes are beyond human control. Corruption is not. And yet, corruption has become the greater disaster, turning tragedies into nightmares. If the billions lost to greed had been used to prepare, no child in Cebu would have been forced to sleep in the rain, wrapped in plastic.

The people endure the aftershocks of greed long after the tremors fade. And the cruelest part? Those who suffer most are not the ones responsible. Fishermen, vendors, students, these are the people who bleed for a system that robs them blind.

Photo from Josh F. Almonte

Who Really Pays the Price?

Photo from Josh F. Almonte

It is not the politicians with their foreign trips and luxury homes who suffer. It is the ordinary Filipino, the ones paying taxes with every kilo of rice they buy, every jeepney ride they take. They give and give, only to sleep in plastic bags when disaster strikes.

Why should the poor always pay the price for the rich man’s corruption? Why should the fisherman’s family, already struggling to live, now struggle to survive because their leaders chose greed over duty?

Photo from Arg De Real

The Call for Justice

Photo from Unsplash

The earthquake in Cebu is not just a natural calamity, it is a mirror of our broken system. Until leaders are held accountable, the cycle will repeat: the people will suffer in silence, while those in power dine, drink, and flaunt wealth stolen from the very lives they abandon.

How many more families must sleep in plastic bags before leaders stop sleeping on silk sheets bought with the people’s money?

Photo from Arg De Lean

Shadows Beyond the Epicenter

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Shadows Beyond the Epicenter
Photo from Phivocs
Photo from Josh F. Almonte

When the magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Cebu, the earth roared and split beneath the north. The epicenter was traced to Bogo City, a busy hub where buildings collapsed, churches cracked, and hospitals filled in minutes. Attention naturally turned there, as rescue teams raced to save lives amid the ruins. Images of Bogo’s devastation became the face of the disaster. But while the spotlight fell on the city, outside its borders other towns and barangays were reeling from their own quiet tragedies.

Lives Uprooted in Neighboring Towns

Photo from Josh F. Almonte
Photo from Josh F. Almonte

In San Remigio, the collapse of a sports complex during a community gathering left families grieving and survivors crying out for medical care. In Medellin, villagers awoke to find their homes unlivable, their kitchens and bathrooms reduced to rubble, their neighbors missing beneath the debris. In Tabogon and Tabuelan, landslides blocked narrow roads, leaving families stranded without supplies and cut off from the outside world. These communities suffered wounds as deep as the epicenter’s, yet their stories reached fewer ears.

The Long Wait for Help

Photo from Josh F. Almonte
Photo from Josh F. Almonte

For residents in smaller barangays, the days that followed were marked by uncertainty and fear. Electricity was gone, communication lines severed, and water scarce. Mothers searched for clean drinking water while children shivered in makeshift shelters pieced together from salvaged wood and tarpaulin. Some residents tried to walk long distances just to send word that they were still alive. Others sat in silence, waiting for rescue teams that took days to arrive. Their suffering was not less than Bogo’s, it was simply less visible.

Unseen but Not Unbroken

Photo from City Government of Bogo
Photo from Josh F. Almonte

The focus on Bogo City was understandable. It was where the earthquake was centered, where destruction was most visible, and where population density meant urgent triage was needed. Yet the neighboring towns remind us that disasters do not stop at city limits. For those who lived through the quake outside Bogo, the greatest pain has been the feeling of invisibility, the sense that their struggles were overshadowed by the larger story.

A Wider Story of Resilience

Photo from Josh F. Almonte

Today, as northern Cebu begins to recover, what unites these communities is not only shared devastation but shared resilience. In San Remigio, neighbors cook what little food they have and share it among families. In Medellin, residents build temporary shelters together, hammering nails into salvaged wood under the heat of the sun. In Tabogon, young men clear blocked paths with their bare hands to reconnect their barangay with the main road. Their voices deserve to be heard, not in competition with Bogo’s story, but alongside it.

Remembering the Margins

Photo from Josh F. Almonte
Photo from Josh F. Almonte

The earthquake that shook Bogo also shook San Remigio, Medellin, Tabogon, Tabuelan, and countless smaller barangays. The tremors did not choose a single city, the devastation rippled across the province. To understand the true scope of Cebu’s suffering, we must look beyond the epicenter and listen to the quieter cries from the margins. These voices are not asking for more, they are asking not to be forgotten.

Shake Rattle And Call?

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Shake Rattle And Call?
Photo from Freepiks

When a strong earthquake shocked Cebu recently, many rushed to the streets, gripped by fear of collapsing walls and aftershocks. But as the shake subsided, reports surfaced that some business process outsourcing (BPO) companies instructed their employees to return to their workstations almost immediately. For workers, it was a huge demand, between the law’s promise of safety and an employer’s insistence on productivity, where should their loyalty lie?

The Right to Safety

Photo from Unsplash

Philippine law is not silent on what employers should do in moments of crisis. Republic Act No. 11058, known as the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Law, requires employers to ensure that workplaces are free from hazards that can cause death or serious physical harm. The law also gives employees the right to refuse unsafe work when there is an “imminent danger” to their health or life.

During disasters, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) further reminds companies to prioritize employee welfare. Under the Labor Code, work may be suspended when calamities strike. The Code recognizes that safety comes before profits, and that workers cannot be punished for refusing to return to a place where danger is clear and present.

A Clash Between Policy and Practice

Photo from Freepiks

Despite these legal safeguards, the accounts from Cebu tell a more complicated story. Some BPO employees reported being instructed to go back inside their buildings before engineers or safety officers could confirm structural soundness. Others claimed they faced threats of disciplinary action if they refused to resume their shifts.

This clash between legal protections and actual practice is not new. In past earthquakes across the country, similar complaints arose, with call center workers describing evacuation drills cut short or managers prioritizing service-level agreements with foreign clients over the physical safety of their Filipino staff.

The Employer’s Liability

Photo from Unsplash

The law is clear, forcing employees to work in conditions that could endanger them carries consequences. Under RA 11058, companies may face administrative penalties for violations, including fines for each day hazards remain unaddressed. If harm occurs, liability could extend further, opening the door to labor complaints, civil damages, or even criminal liability in extreme cases.

DOLE has the authority to inspect workplaces, issue compliance orders, and even suspend operations if hazards persist. In principle, this oversight acts as a safeguard, but in practice, inspections often rely on worker complaints, something not every employee is confident enough to file, fearing retaliation or job loss.

Between Pay and Protection

Photo from Unsplash

Another layer to this dilemma is economic. The Labor Code follows the “no work, no pay” principle when work is suspended due to natural calamities. Unless a company has a collective bargaining agreement, internal policy, or tradition of paying during work suspensions, employees lose income when they choose not to report. For many workers supporting families, this financial pressure creates a cruel paradox, risking their safety or risk going hungry.

Closing the Gap

Photo from Unsplash

What the Cebu quake has exposed is not a lack of laws but a gap between policy and enforcement. Safety protocols may exist on paper, but if they are not respected when the ground trembles, workers are left vulnerable. Strengthening oversight, mandating building inspections before operations resume, and raising awareness among workers about their right to refuse unsafe work are crucial steps in closing this gap.

Employers, too, must recognize that productivity cannot come at the cost of human lives. In an industry as vital as the BPO sector, which powers much of the Philippine economy, true resilience will only be possible if worker safety is treated as non-negotiable.

Earthquakes in the Philippines are inevitable, the country sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire.” But each tremor becomes a test, not just of infrastructure, but of how faithfully the law protects the people who keep the economy alive. The recent reports from Cebu serve as a reminder that when the ground shakes, workers’ rights should not.

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