THE national government on Tuesday assured earthquake-hit communities in Mindanao that they will not be abandoned, as a full-scale, multi-agency response remains in full force following the magnitude 7.8 tremor that struck Sarangani and nearby areas on June 8.
Acting on the directive of President Marcos to accelerate assistance, Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian joined top Cabinet officials on the ground on Tuesday to ensure immediate aid delivery and assess damage in the hardest-hit communities.
Gatchalian, alongside Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa and Public Works Secretary Vivencio Dizon, personally inspected affected areas and ongoing response operations.
‘The DSWD stands committed-we are ready to help; we are ready to respond. In fact, I am here now, and Secretary Herbosa and Secretary Dizon are also here, because we were instructed, and the President’s directive is to ensure a swift response,’ Gatchalian said.
Within hours of the powerful tremor, Gatchalian flew to General Santos City to oversee relief operations, underscoring the administration’s push for rapid, on-the-ground intervention.
Authorities identified the towns of Glan, Maasim, and Malapatan in Sarangani, as well as Malita, Don Marcelino, Jose Abad Santos, and Balut Island in Davao Occidental, as among the most severely affected areas requiring urgent government support.
Even before the disaster struck, the DSWD had prepositioned more than 1.1 million family food packs (FFPs) across Mindanao, enabling immediate distribution to displaced families.
To address urgent medical needs, the agency released financial assistance worth P10,000 each to 126 patients at Sarangani Provincial Hospital and 295 patients at Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital.
Ready-to-eat food packs were also distributed to mothers in hospital obstetrics wards, while temporary shelters, including outdoor tents, were set up for evacuated patients. Modular and family tents were likewise installed in evacuation centers, including in Jose Abad Santos, to accommodate displaced residents.
‘We will make sure that we will not let go until we are able to help our fellow Filipinos recover from this tragedy. We will ensure that we will not abandon them, and we will stand by them all the way through recovery,’ Gatchalian said.
According to the latest reports, the DSWD has extended over P4.23 million in humanitarian assistance to affected families and individuals.
The agency continues to maintain substantial standby resources, including P839.89 million in its Quick Response Fund and more than P4.46 million worth of food and non-food items.
With landslides blocking key roads, the government has shifted to air and sea logistics to sustain relief delivery. The Air Force (PAF) has deployed helicopters for airlifting supplies, while the Coast Guard (PCG) and the Navy (PN) are assisting in transporting additional food packs to isolated communities.
‘The Air Force is now set to airlift additional goods using Black Hawk helicopters so they can be delivered immediately. We are also coordinating with the Coast Guard and the Navy so we can send more family food packs by sea,’ said Gatchalian.
Based on the latest Disaster Response Operations Monitoring, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) report, a total of 145,693 individuals or 32,926 families across 163 barangays in Regions 9, 11, and 12 have been affected by the earthquake.
Meanwhile, relief efforts from nongovernment groups have complemented the national response. Tingog Party-list group deployed teams on the day of the earthquake to distribute 300 relief packs containing ready-to-eat food and bottled water in General Santos City.
Assistance was extended to hospitals, including Sarangani Bay Specialists Medical Center and R.O. Diagan Cooperative Hospital, as well as to frontline responders such as Bureau of Fire Protection personnel and barangay officials.
‘What is important now is a response that is swift, orderly, and continuous… Tingog remains committed to listening to and serving our fellow Filipinos affected by the earthquake,’ the group said.
Relief operations are set to continue as both government and private sector responders scale up assistance, with national authorities emphasizing sustained support through rehabilitation and recovery efforts.
PRC heightens relief efforts
AS the humanitarian group continued to coordinate with local authorities and partner agencies to restore critical lifelines and deliver humanitarian assistance to affected communities by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) chairman and chief executive officer, Richard J. Gordon, ordered the deployment of satellite phones, communication units and generators in General Santos City and Sarangani province, particularly in communities isolated by damaged infrastructure.
Gordon also ordered the distribution of hot meals, and food packs to the affected communities.
‘We are receiving reports from our RC143 volunteers that some communities have become isolated because bridges have been rendered impassable. I would like to assure them that help is on the way,’ Gordon said.
Among the affected infrastures are the Aquino Bridge in Glan and the Sapumalsa Bridge in Malapatan, both of which were damaged, limiting access to several communities in Sarangani.
Gordon said that the PRC will bring food packs, water filtration systems for clean and potable water, satellite communications for easier reach within the communities, and other essential assistance to affected residents.
‘We will use every available resource, including our logistics trucks and emergency response assets, to reach those who need help,’ Gordon said.