The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is distributing emergency relief supplies to residents affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on June 8, 2026, in Sarangani Province.
Urgent Need for Potable Water
Potable water remains the most urgent need in Sarangani Province following the devastating earthquake, according to Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head Dennis Pastor. Financial assistance is also among the most effective forms of support at this stage of the response.
“Sarangani needs more help,” Pastor said in an interview on Friday, June 12, 2026, after the team’s assessment of affected communities in southern Mindanao.
Pastor noted that General Santos City has begun transitioning from emergency response to early recovery and rehabilitation, but Sarangani continues to face significant challenges, particularly in the municipalities of Malapatan and Glan, where extensive damage was recorded.
Cash Donations Prioritized
Pastor urged Cebuanos who want to help to prioritize financial donations, emphasizing that commercial establishments near the affected areas remain operational despite the disaster. Cash assistance allows responders and local government units to immediately purchase needed supplies within or near affected communities, avoiding the costs of transporting relief goods from other provinces.
Governor Pamela Baricuatro announced that the Provincial Government is preparing additional assistance based on the PDRRMO’s assessment, particularly the delivery of potable water.
“They really need potable water there, so we are sending more,” Baricuatro said in an interview with reporters after the Independence Day flag-raising ceremony at the Cebu Provincial Capitol on Friday.
Cebu’s Response Efforts
The Cebu Provincial Government earlier deployed a response team led by Pastor to assess conditions on the ground and coordinate relief efforts. “There is already one team in the area and we will be sending another one today,” Baricuatro said. Pastor confirmed that the team will remain in the earthquake-hit communities until assessments are completed and no further assistance is required.
On Wednesday, June 10, Baricuatro announced that the Provincial Government had allocated P10 million in financial assistance for General Santos City. She expressed hope to personally turn over the assistance once authorities completed their assessment of conditions in the affected areas.
