The epicentre of the earthquake was located approximately 19 kilometres northeast of the coastal city of Bogo.
Hospital and rescue officials expect a rise in the number of casualties as search and recovery efforts continue.
The earthquake struck less than a week after the region was battered by back-to-back storms, Bualoi and Ragasa, further compounding the devastation.
The Philippines is among the world's most disaster-prone countries, frequently experiencing earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.
Hossein Vaez - Mojtaba Darabi
