Philippines halts search and rescue efforts following collapse of nine-story building.

VTV.vn - The Philippines has halted search and rescue operations following the collapse of a building under construction, as authorities have found no signs of life.

The building collapsed in Angeles City on May 25, 2026. (Photo: AP)

The Philippines has halted search and rescue operations at a collapsed building in Angeles City, north of Manila, as hopes of finding survivors have largely faded.

Authorities said search and rescue operations were halted on the evening of May 25th, after rescuers used life-detection equipment and determined there were no signs of survivors under the rubble. From May 26th, the focus of rescue efforts shifted to recovering the bodies of the victims.

Earlier, the building collapse occurred in the early morning of May 24th at a construction site in Angeles. Lea Casilao said her husband, Joselito, was likely among those trapped because he had stayed in temporary housing for workers the night of May 23rd.

“All my hopes of finding him alive have been dashed,” said Casilao while waiting for news at a makeshift tent near the site. She said the couple had planned to meet at the construction site on the afternoon of May 24, but she couldn’t get in touch with her husband and then saw the scene littered with concrete, warped metal, and collapsed scaffolding.

Rescue workers and search dogs look for victims at the scene of a building collapse in Angeles on May 25, 2026. (Photo: AP)

At least four people have been confirmed dead, including a Malaysian national found on May 24 in a nearby hotel building also affected by the collapse. Sixteen others, mostly construction workers, remain missing.

One of the victims who died was the father of 19-year-old Evelyn Alicaway. She said she learned about the accident from her uncle and recognized her father in a video circulating on social media, although his face was blurred.

Philippine authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the building collapse, including the possibility that the construction violated building permits. According to Reuters, the permit only approved nine floors, but a swimming pool was being built on the tenth floor.

The Philippine labor agency had ordered a halt to construction at the site in September 2025 due to safety violations, but the order was lifted a month later after the company involved met the regulations.

Source: https://vtv.vn/philippines-dung-tim-kiem-cuu-ho-vu-sap-toa-nha-9-tang-100260526131643861.htm