AMID the ongoing aftershocks at ground zero and in other areas in Mindanao affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck on June 8, 2026, Dennis Pastor, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), has recommended that cash donations be prioritized for now.
He said these can be sent to victims so they can use them to buy food and other basic needs. This comes as donation drives and groups are planning to bring assistance to the affected areas.
According to Pastor, similar to what was experienced during the Cebu earthquake last year, it is still not safe to travel to areas where aftershocks continue to be recorded. He suggested that it would be better to coordinate with the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the affected areas so that those who wish to send donations can be properly advised.
He assured, however, that the PDRRMO is ready to augment its personnel, although additional manpower may be needed on the ground zero.
The Cebu Provincial Government has preliminarily approved up to P10 million in financial assistance for General Santos City, which also helped during the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that hit Cebu. (ANV)
