A restaurant in Baguio City reportedly gave free food to the public following the strong earthquake that rocked Abra and parts of Northern Luzon on Wednesday morning.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology at 8:34 a.m. recorded a magnitude 7 on Tayum, Abra which was felt by residents as far as Metro Manila.
The highest intensity recorded was at Intensity VII in Bucloc and Manabo, Abra.
Phivolcs considers Intensity VII destructive where “heavy objects and furniture usually overturn or topple, big church bells may ring, old or poorly-built structures suffer considerable damage. Some well-built structures are slightly damaged.”
Residents and visitors of Baguio, meanwhile, felt the earthquake at Intensity VI.
This intensity is considered very strong where “some people lose their balance;” heavy object or furniture move or may be shifted,” and “limited rockfalls and rolling boulders occur in hilly to mountainous areas and escarpments.”
Several infrastructures were damaged from the incident, including heritage sites such as those in Vigan and antique bell towers in the Ilocos provinces.
READ: Aftermath of July 27 Abra quake: Damaged buildings, heritage sites
The earthquake has left at least four individuals dead and 60 injured.
After the tremor, GoodTaste Restaurant‘s branch in Otek, Baguio City reportedly served free meals to people along the street.
“Amidst the panic and fear of aftershocks leaving some people stranded in the city, Good Taste Restaurant is currently giving free food to the public. Picture by Ne Cay Apilis who witnessed the first earlier distribution and the resumption #EarthquakeAftermath,” Facebook user Laarni Ilagan wrote.
She accompanied her post with a picture of Filipinos at the entrance of the restaurant.
The initiative was lauded by the public information office of Baguio City, which shared the post with the caption, “THANK YOU GOOD TASTE”
According to Ilagan, her officemate Ne Cay Apilis was the one who saw the restaurant’s act of generosity.
“There was no announcement at all. Since malapit lang sila sa road. They were just giving the free food daw sa mga passerby,” she told The Philippine STAR.
GoodTaste serves Filipino and Chinese cuisine, as well as bread and pastries.
Meanwhile, a vacation home rental also claimed that another establishment in Baguio City offered “free food/coffee/chairs for people in the streets.”
“Our friends report ‘Kind hearts all around.’ Establishments like Vizco’s & Good Taste passing free food/coffee/chairs for people in the streets,” the Chirping Birds Baguio Transient Homes said.
