Emergency officials in the northern Philippines have concluded a two-day rescue operation following the collapse of a nine-storey condominium building that trapped at least 12 people beneath the rubble.
The structure, which collapsed early Sunday in Angeles City north of Manila, fell onto a nearby hotel, killing at least four people, including a Malaysian national and two construction workers who were initially found alive but later died before they could be rescued.
A fourth victim has not yet been identified, while authorities say up to 16 people remain unaccounted for after revised missing-persons lists confirmed one individual had not been at the site.
Regional fire bureau spokeswoman Maria Leah Sajili said rescue teams had earlier detected “signs of life” using thermal sensors, raising hopes of survivors trapped in the debris. However, no further survivors were located before the operation was officially declared over on Monday night.
Search efforts have now transitioned to retrieval operations, which are set to begin on Tuesday.
Officials said as many as 70 workers were assigned to the construction site, although many had left for the weekend when the collapse occurred. Most of those still missing are believed to be construction workers who were sleeping on-site at the time of the disaster.
One resident, Alfredo Albis, said two of his cousins who worked at the site were among those missing. He described them as labourers working to support their families.
Authorities are now investigating the cause of the collapse. Labour officials confirmed the project had previously been shut down in September 2024 due to safety violations, including inadequate protective gear, poor lighting, and lack of safety signage.
According to labour department official Geraldine Panlioni, construction resumed only after the contractor complied with required safety measures.
The incident has renewed concerns over construction safety standards in the Philippines, particularly in fast-growing urban development zones where enforcement has been inconsistent.
