Years of disaster-preparedness drills helped prevent a larger casualty toll when one of the strongest earthquakes in 50 years struck southern Mindanao on Monday, officials said Friday. Teresito

Students at the Davao de Oro State College gathered in an open area after the strong earthquake that was felt across Mindanao and Western Visayas. PHOTOS COURTESY OF AGENCE…

Philippine officials say that years of disaster-preparedness drills helped prevent a larger casualty toll when one of the strongest earthquakes in 50 years struck the south and…