DAVAO CITY, the Philippines, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A moderate magnitude-5.9 earthquake hit the southern Philippines early on Wednesday morning, but no damage was expected, state seismologists said.

The tectonic quake jolted around 4:03 a.m. local time at a depth of 48 kilometers and its epicenter located 149 kilometers southeast off Governor Generoso town, in Mindanao's Davao Oriental province, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The state seismology agency said the tremor was felt in the southern island of Mindanao and that it might result in aftershocks.

Last Dec. 29, a magnitude-7.2 quake also hit off Governor Generoso, sending people out of their homes in panic but causing no damage.

The Philippines sits in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active region which cause frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.