Four people. including a Malaysian. died while 17 others remain missing after an building which is being constructed collapsed in Pampanga on Sunday.

According to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), a nine-storey structure located along Teodoro Street in Barangay Balibago, Angeles City collapsed before dawn Sunday, which triggered massive emergency response from rescue units across Central Luzon.

"As of 12:00 noon on May 25, 2026, authorities have recorded 26 individuals successfully rescued, four confirmed fatalities, and 17 individuals still missing," the agency stated.

Those who were inside the building when it collapsed were mostly construction workers.

It noted that a total of 267 Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Medical teams and local response personnel from Pampanga, Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan remain deployed on-site while the Coast Guard K9 teams, composed of six Coast Guard Working Dogs and 12 SAR personnel, also arrived at the incident site to search for the missing victims.

"Rescue trucks, ambulances, fire trucks, technical rescue equipment, and specialized assets continue to operate under highly dangerous and unstable conditions as responders work around the clock to locate and retrieve those trapped beneath the rubble," it stated.

“The safety and preservation of life remain our highest priority. We recognize the extraordinary courage of our rescuers who continue to place themselves in harm’s way under extremely dangerous conditions to save others,” the Department added.

The DILG also extended its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and those who remain missing, assuring the public that all concerned agencies remain fully coordinated and committed to exhausting every possible effort until all individuals are accounted for.

The authorities are now conducting an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the collapse of the structure. Robina Asido/PHS