Soldiers build shelters for earthquake-affected villagers in Sarangani

COTABATO CITY — Army carpenters are now constructing small houses for earthquake-affected villagers in Glan town, Sarangani, one of the provinces devastated by the Magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Central Mindanao and nearby regions on June 8, 2026.

Radio reports on Tuesday, July 7, said the 512th Engineer Construction Battalion, the 504th Combat Engineer Battalion and skilled members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit under the Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion of the 10th Infantry Division are jointly building core shelters for villagers in Glan whose houses were damaged by the earthquake.

Local executives in different towns in Sarangani separately told reporters on Tuesday that among the benefactors of the soldiers' construction of 73 single-storey, 24-square meter houses for displaced villagers in Glan are provincial officials, the National Housing Authority and other line agencies with regional offices in Koronadal City, the capital of Region 12, n South Cotabato.

Army Major Gen. Alvin Luzon, commander of the 10th ID, said on Tuesday that the project, which was launched last week, is expected to be completed within 53 days.

“We are wishing for good weather in the coming days so that the soldiers and the members of the CAFGU out there can accomplish the project as scheduled. They are enthusiastic in doing their carpentry works as part of the Philippine Army’s public service thrusts,” Luzon said.

South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., speaking as presiding chairperson of the multi-sector Regional Peace and Order Council 12, said he was thankful to the Army units and the militiamen cooperating in the construction of houses for residents of Glan town, Sarangani, who were displaced by the June 8 tremor.

Personnel from units of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, whose headquarters is in Camp Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, remain deployed in far-flung barangays in South Cotabato and Sarangani, helping local executives restore normalcy in areas affected by the June 8 disaster, according to Tamayo.

“We in the Regional Peace and Order Council 12 appreciate the relief works of these men in uniform,” Tamayo said.

The RPOC 12 covers the provinces of Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Sarangani, as well as the cities of Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal and General Santos.