The government of the Philippines is focusing on disaster relief and recovery in the aftermath of a massive 6.9 earthquake on Tuesday night, which killed at least 73 people.

More than 550 others were injured, and more than 20,000 people have reportedly been displaced from their homes.

With at least 5,000 houses damaged, some residents were sleeping outdoors in parks, grassy clearings, and on sidewalks, enduring sporadic rain because aftershocks have fueled fears about the safety of their homes.

“We can’t blame people if they refuse to return home ... there were too many aftershocks and some were really strong,” Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon said in a news conference in Manila. “They don’t want to go anywhere with a roof."

PHOTO: Patients wait outside the Cebu Provincial Hospi

See Full Page