Joselito Malig

Damaged buildings can be seen across General Santos City after a powerful quake struck the area early Monday morning, June 8, 2026. At least 16 people were killed and more than a hundred others were injured, according to the Office of Civil Defense's latest report. Photo courtesy of Agapito Hampaslupa

Article (news)

MINDANAO EARTHQUAKE- SARANGANI

Francis Orcio

ABS-CBN News

MANILA — Five days after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mindanao, many villages in the municipality of Maasim, Sarangani, offshore of which the quake’s epicenter was located, remain without adequate relief, leaving residents struggling for food, clean water, and basic necessities.During a visit to several puroks and barangays in Maasim, residents lined the roads holding placards appealing for assistance, saying that despite the scale of the disaster, aid has yet to fully reach their communities.Roads leading to the affected villages remain passable, but residents questioned why relief operations have been slow to arrive.“Halos lahat ng ayuda na dumadating, bakit nakatutok sa Gen San? Sana naman, ipasyal din dito o ibahagi rin dito sa Maasim. Kasi, lahat din naman tayo naapektuhan, pero nakakasakit lang ng damdamin. Lahat ng vlogger, national government, doon nakatutok sa Gen San, e epicenter Maasim e,” said Floreto Sisneros Jr., resident of Purok 6, Barangay Tinoto, Maasim.Another resident of the same village, Elizabeth Pabilada, expressed frustration over what she described as unequal relief distribution.“Dito, ano man sir, wala kaming, lahat kami naapektuhan, bakit doon lang? Dito wala? Masakit sir, masakit. Kasi wala kaming hanapbuhay,” said Elizabeth Pabilada, resident of Purok 6, Barangay Tinoto, Maasim.According to the local government, Barangay Tinoto sustained the worst damage in the municipality.In Purok 7, a coastal community largely inhabited by members of the Samal-Tausug tribe, more than 30 houses made of light materials were completely destroyed.“Sa limang araw na naming na nandito po, wala pa talagang naibigay na tulong sa amin ang munisipyo. Sana po mapansin niyo naman ang purok 7. Kung iyong iba naapektuhan, e naapektuhan din kami,” said Ai-n Gangoso, purok leader of Purok 7, Linao Kabengaan, Barangay Tinoto, Maasim.For the first time since the earthquake, personnel from the Philippine Army and the Bureau of Fire Protection reached the community to distribute clean drinking water.At an evacuation center in Barangay Poblacion, one evacuee faces an especially difficult situation.Seventy-two-year-old Elma Jimena is caring for her bedridden husband, a stroke patient, while coping with the loss of their livelihood caused by the earthquake. The hospital bed they are using at the evacuation center is being rented, adding to the family’s financial burden.The family has already spent around P20,000 for her husband’s treatment.Recalling the day of the earthquake, Jimena described how difficult their evacuation was.“Matagal, 30 minutes, 40 minutes, bago kami na nakaalis. Sa loob lang ng bahay kami. Naglabas na kami, tapos kanya-kanya nang ano ba. Naghanap ang anak ko ng masakyan para lumikas kami dito. Mahirap talaga. Nahihirapan talaga kami,” said Elma Jimena, resident of Barangay Colon, Maasim, Sarangani.Maasim Mayor Zyrex Pacquiao acknowledged that the local government has yet to deliver relief packs to several coastal communities, including Barangay Tinoto, but said distribution is expected to begin on Saturday.“Since noong Monday, talagang struggling iyong munisipyo natin kasi 2 days wala tayong kuryente, and then walang signal. Walang supply ng tubig. Ang kagandahan lang sa atin dito sa Maasim kahit na dito ang epicenter ng lindol, wala masyadong facilities ang affected,” said Mayor Pacquiao.The municipal government said more than 1,700 families have been affected by the earthquake in Maasim alone.According to the latest data from the Office of Civil Defense on Friday, the magnitude 7.8 earthquake has affected 86,135 families across 352 barangays in Regions 9, 11, 12, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.The death toll remains at 47, although authorities continue to verify additional reports, while the number of missing persons has risen to 38, most of them from Regions 11 and 12.More than 2,400 families are still staying in 31 evacuation centers.Commercial flights at General Santos City Airport remain suspended, while the major seaports in General Santos and Glan are still inoperable.Because of these disruptions, the Philippine Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy continue to use sea vessels and helicopters to deliver humanitarian assistance to the hardest-hit communities.

Five days after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mindanao, many villages in the municipality of Maasim, Sarangani, offshore of which the quake’s epicenter was located, remain without adequate relief, leaving residents struggling for food, clean water, and basic necessities.

Five days after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mindanao, many villages in the municipality of Maasim, Sarangani, offshore of which the quake’s epicenter was located, remain without adequate relief, leaving residents struggling for food, clean water, and basic necessities.

Maasim residents remain underserved as earthquake relief slows in Sarangani

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Regions

Maasim residents remain underserved as earthquake relief slows in Sarangani

Francis Orcio,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 12, 2026 07:12 PM PHT

Read More:

Maasim

Sarangani

Mindanao Earthquake

BFP

Philippine Army

Office of Civil Defense

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.