Quake toll: 65 dead, 36 missing, 1,447 injured

MANILA, Philippines — The number of fatalities from the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao on June 8 has risen to 65, with 736,386 people affected, 1,447 injured and 36 still missing, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported yesterday.

In its latest situational report, the NDRRMC said 57 fatalities were recorded in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) and eight in Region 11 (Davao Region), subject to validation.

“Most of the fatalities were caused by earthquake-induced landslides. Others, such as those recorded in General Santos City, were due to falling debris. That accounts for most of the deaths, particularly in Glan and Jose Abad Santos,” Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said at a press briefing.

Of the affected population, 14,161 people are staying in 37 evacuation centers, while 59,013 are staying outside evacuation centers.

Damage to infrastructure has reached P1.13 billion, with 728 public and private structures damaged.

OCD administrator Harold Cabreros said assistance continues to reach affected communities, particularly in the hardest-hit areas.

Around 41 patients from Glan, Sarangani are receiving treatment from the Department of Health (DOH) at medical tents set up by the Philippine Emergency Medical Team (PEMAT) from the Cotabato Regional Medical Center.

Medical operations have also returned to normal at the Sarangani Provincial Hospital and Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital in General Santos City following emergency structural repairs ordered by President Marcos.

The Department of Education is accelerating recovery efforts in affected areas.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said damaged classrooms would be rebuilt and teachers affected by the earthquake would receive support.

“We are aware of the difficult challenges that our teachers are going through – many of them also lost their homes and property because of the earthquake. We would not only be rebuilding our classrooms but we would also make sure that our teachers receive sufficient support because they are our partners in the recovery of our community,” Angara said.

Latest reports showed that 5,590 affected schools have resumed classes, although 3,500 schools remain under suspension, primarily in Regions XI and XII.

President Marcos ordered yesterday the release of P278 million from the Socio-Civic Projects Fund to assist local governments hit by the earthquake.

During his visit to quake-ravaged areas of Sarangani, Marcos said the financial aid would allow local authorities to provide for the needs of displaced families and accelerate their rehabilitation efforts. The assistance will also bankroll relief operations, restoration of basic services and rebuilding efforts.

Sarangani, the worst hit province, and General Santos City will each receive P50 million while South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat will be given P30 million each. Davao Occidental and the town of Glan in Sarangani will receive P20 million each. Zamboanga City will receive P15 million, while 12 other affected local government units will be given financial aid ranging from P3 million to P10 million.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development likewise vowed to provide P30,000 cash assistance to each household whose house was destroyed.

Rep. Leandro Leviste, meanwhile, filed a resolution in the House of Representatives seeking to reallocate P14 billion from the 2026 maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) of Congress to fund relief for earthquake victims in Mindanao.

Flights resume

As recovery efforts continue, commercial flight operations at the General Santos International Airport resumed yesterday following safety inspections and repair works.

The Department of Transportation said the reopening was in line with President Marcos’ directive to fast-track repairs at the airport and restore normal travel operations in the region.

Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez earlier committed to reopening the airport within a week of the magnitude 7.8 quake.

“DOTr and CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) have conducted a complete safety assessment and we confirmed that commercial operations at GenSan Airport can resume tomorrow so that our passengers’ trips will not be delayed,” Lopez said.

CAAP said it coordinated with airline operators, airport stakeholders and government agencies to ensure the safe and efficient resumption of flights.

Philippine Airlines has resumed its Manila-General Santos-Manila and Cebu-General Santos-Cebu services following the airport’s reopening.

However, passengers were advised to expect longer processing times due to limited terminal capacity and reduced check-in counter availability while repair works continue.

Blackouts persist

While air transport services have largely returned to normal, power restoration remains a challenge in parts of Sarangani, particularly in Glan, one of the areas hardest hit by the quake.

The Department of Energy said only 32 percent of electricity service in Glan had been restored as of yesterday, leaving 16,208 households without power.

Although electricity has been partially restored in several barangays, 17,962 households are still without electricity across Sarangani as six barangays remain inaccessible to vehicles, slowing repair work and prolonging blackouts.

The DOE said it is coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and Task Force Kapatid to speed up restoration efforts.

To help the area meet its energy needs, Petron donated 10,000 liters of diesel, while Seaoil contributed an additional 3,000 liters. — Alexis Romero, Josiah Antonio, EJ Macababbad, Rhodina Villanueva, Rainier Allan Ronda, Evelyn Macairan, Delon Porcalla, Rudy Santos