When the Ground Shakes, Can Your Business Stand Firm?: The Importance of Business Continuity Plan Amid Disasters

Recently, the Philippines was struck by two powerful earthquakes: a 6.9-magnitude quake in Cebu on September 30, 2025, and a 7.4-magnitude tremor in the Davao Region on October 10, 2025. These events disrupted daily life, damaging infrastructure, halting transport, and forcing many businesses to suspend operations.

The Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a vast horseshoe-shaped belt of tectonic activity that accounts for about 90% of the world’s earthquakes. With active fault lines cutting across the archipelago, the country is naturally exposed to frequent seismic events of varying intensity, making the occurrence of natural disasters never a matter of if, but when.  It’s a stark alarm: in a snap of a finger, the growth plans we have carefully crafted can collapse—unless a solid continuity plan is in place. This geographical reality makes disaster preparedness not just a precaution but a critical part of living and doing business in the Philippines.

Lessons from the Recent Shakeup

The earthquakes in Cebu and Davao revealed how quickly disruption can ripple through communities and workplaces. In Cebu, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) issued a cease-and-desist order against a BPO firm after finding it lacked an emergency and disaster preparedness plan. Meanwhile, the BPO Industry Employees Network (BIEN) filed complaints against several BPO companies for violating occupational safety and health and allegedly exposing employees to unsafe working conditions during the quake, including blocked exits and inadequate evacuation protocols. (Source: Inquirer). These incidents serve as powerful reminders that preparedness must go beyond compliance; it must be ingrained in every business operation.

Disasters and disruptions, such as earthquakes, can strike without warning. They can damage facilities, disrupt utilities, and halt operations in an instant. Beyond physical damage, it can also bring psychological impact on employees and significant financial strain on operations. 

For many businesses, a solid Business Continuity Plan (BCP) is no longer optional. It empowers organizations to respond swiftly, recover efficiently, and sustain operations while protecting people and preserving client trust when challenges arise.

Decentralizing Operations as a Strategy

One effective way businesses are strengthening their continuity plans is through decentralization or establishing multiple office sites across different locations instead of relying on a single headquarters. This approach ensures that operations remain agile and resilient amidst disruption.

• Minimizing Downtime – When one site becomes inaccessible, teams can quickly shift to another, keeping critical functions running and client commitments intact. 

• Prioritizing Employee Safety and Accessibility – With offices across key cities, employees have the flexibility to work from the nearest safe location during emergencies, reducing commute risks and ensuring their well-being.

• Empowering Flexible Work – Decentralized setups naturally complement hybrid arrangements, giving companies more flexibility to reassign teams, redistribute workloads, or activate backup workspaces when needed.

• Strengthening Trust and Reputation – Companies that stay operational and responsive even amid crises demonstrate reliability and foresight, earning the confidence of clients, investors, and employees alike.

The Value of Business Continuity

A Business Continuity Plan gives businesses a clear framework to respond quickly, protect employees, and maintain operations without compromising client trust. It is not just about having a plan; it is about creating confidence, stability, and peace of mind for everyone involved.

Investing in business continuity reinforces trust and resilience as core values of your organization. By planning ahead, you are not only safeguarding people and operations, you are demonstrating reliability and care, showing employees and clients alike that you are ready for whatever happens.

Prepare for the unexpected. Build a reliable, safe, and compliant Business Continuity Plan with GreatWork. GreatWork is a trusted partner that helps businesses adapt quickly when operational disruptions occur. With flexible offices across key districts, your team stays safe, connected, and resilient so your business can keep moving forward no matter what comes next.