MINDANAO, Philippines | June 2026 — Less than 24 hours after the magnitude 7.8 that struck Maasim, Sarangani in Mindanao last 08 June 2026, Community and Family Services International (CFSI), in coordination with Members of the Philippine Inclusive NGO Network (PINGON) and Local Government Units (LGUs), City Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices (CSWDOs), and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (MDRRMOs), conducted a Joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDANA) covering the Municipality of Polomolok in South Cotabato; the Municipalities of Kiamba, Maasim, Malapatan, and Glan in Sarangani Province; and General Santos City.

Emergency Response Efforts

The CFSI Emergency Response Team (ERT) assessed six (6) municipalities. The most urgent needs across all areas assessed include food, safe drinking water, hygiene kits, and temporary shelter materials, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services. In response, CFSI  distributed Non-Food Items (NFIs) to a total of 348 families most affected by the earthquake in Barangay Sapu Padidu, Municipality of Malapatan in the Province of Sarangani. Efforts were closely coordinated with the Malapatan Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region XII, Red Cross volunteers, barangay officials, and PINGON partners, ensuring that efforts complemented local disaster response plans of the LGU. Items distributed included storage boxes, malongs, and sleeping bags, which are envisioned to support families with immediate temporary shelter. Assistance covered both evacuation center–based and home-based families, with priority given to those whose homes had been completely or severely damaged by the earthquake and vulnerable individuals, including senior citizens, pregnant and lactating women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).

Finding from the Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment 

Findings from the Joint RDNA showed that across all assessed areas, thousands of families were found sheltering outdoors in makeshift tents amid ongoing aftershocks, avoiding entry into damaged concrete structures. The most severe conditions were recorded in the Municipalities of Maasim, Malapatan, and Glan.

In the Municipality of Maasim, at least 129 families were staying in the municipal evacuation center. A total of 227 houses were reported totally damaged, while 1,502 sustained partial damage.

The Municipality of Malapatan faced significant challenges due to earthquake-induced landslides, which blocked mountain streams and created a 30-foot-deep artificial dam in Barangay Sapu Padidu. This placed downstream communities at risk and prompted further evacuations. The number of displaced families continued to rise as access to previously isolated areas improved. The crisis was compounded by the disruption of the municipality’s primary water source, leaving residents dependent on Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) tanker trucks for water. Sitio Layal in Barangay Sapu, Padidu remained inaccessible by land, with an estimated 36 families stranded. Agricultural livelihoods were devastated as coconut farms were buried by landslides, and many fisherfolk suspended operations out of fear of tsunami threats. Reports of anxiety and psychological distress, particularly among children, highlighted the urgent need for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) services, which were not yet in place during the assessment.

In the Municipality of Glan, access to clean drinking water emerged as the most critical concern, with prices in remote barangays reaching as high as PhP 100 per liter. Three Blaan Indigenous Peoples communities—Datalbukay, Congan, and Rio del Pilar—were identified as priority areas, serving approximately 3,200 families combined. These communities remained completely isolated and were reachable only by helicopter.

Continuing Support

Drawing from the strengths and capacities of affected communities, the emergency response efforts of CFSI and its partners provided immediate relief and life-saving assistance to households most affected by the earthquake, which is the most devastating earthquake that struck Mindanao since 1976. CFSI remains committed to ensuring that the most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach populations receive timely, inclusive, and life-saving assistance.

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Rochelle Bongcodin, Information Management Assistant