Metro Manila isn’t the only area that could be hit by the “Big One”, the threat of a massive earthquake also looms in Negros Island.
The Negros Trench is capable of generating a massive magnitude 8.2 earthquake, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Teresito Bacolcol, who was in Bacolod on Monday, Oct. 27, said.
The Negros Trench is an oceanic trench located northeast of the Sulu Trench and west of the Negros Island Region in the Visayas, measuring about 400 kilometers long, he said.
Bacolcol said a magnitude 8.2 earthquake at the Negros Trench is capable of rocking the entire Negros Island.
A shallow Magnitude 8.2 earthquake could generate tsunamis on the western coastlines of Negros and Panay, and as far as Palawan and Zamboanga, Bacolcol added.
People living near the sea should know the natural signs of an impending tsunami as it could happen within five minutes from the main shock. People should immediately run for higher ground instead of stopping to take Facebook photos, Bacolcol stressed.
Signs of an oncoming tsunami are strong shaking where you can’t stand up, a sudden drop in sea level, and a roaring sound coming from the sea, Bacolcol said.
Only one of the three is necessary to be a sign of an oncoming tsunami, he noted.
The “Big One,” a projected Magnitude 7.2 earthquake that could rock Metro Manila and nearby provinces, is part of the West Valley Fault’s natural long-term cycle.
“The world does not revolve around the West Valley Fault, bigger earthquakes could happen in other parts of the country,” Bacolcol said.
Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said most earthquake-related deaths come from collapsed structures, followed by landslides, fires, and tsunamis.
“By identifying the main causes, we can focus solutions where they matter most — in ensuring safe buildings,” he said.
Bacolcol and Solisum were in Bacolod for the 2025 Handa Pilipinas sa Bagong Pilipinas final leg at the SMX Convention Center featuring science-and research-based innovations in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.*