A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off Maasim, Sarangani, on June 8, impacting 553,068 individuals across southern Mindanao. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reports that the disaster has caused more than 30 deaths and significant housing destruction across Regions IX, XI, XII, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).
The earthquake occurred at 7:37 a.m. on Monday, with its epicenter located approximately 32 kilometers south-southwest of Maasim, Sarangani, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). During the intense groundshaking, a school building at Notre Dame of Glan, Sarangani, collapsed, according to an Inquirer report.
How many people and homes were affected?
The DSWD-DROMIC Report No. 9, released at 6 p.m. on Friday, confirms that 137,081 families from 401 barangays were affected. While 9,393 individuals are currently staying in 26 operational evacuation centers, a much larger group of 54,274 people are seeking temporary shelter with relatives and friends outside of formal facilities.
Housing damage is mounting as assessment continues. Reports indicate that 8,865 homes were totally destroyed, while 36,691 others sustained partial damage. International and local reports have placed the death toll at more than 30, with hundreds of people injured across the hardest-hit areas.
How much relief assistance is available?
Humanitarian assistance provided by the national government, local government units, and partner agencies has reached P84.26 million. The DSWD reports that total available relief resources exceed P5.16 billion, which includes:
- P748.11 million under the Quick Response Fund.
- Over P4.41 billion in prepositioned food and non-food items.
What are the next steps for recovery?
As aftershocks continue to jolt several areas, government agencies are maintaining relief distribution and damage assessments. Assessment teams are still working to validate damage and identify more affected families across Mindanao. Recovery efforts may also include the continued provision of psychosocial and social protection services to displaced families.
