The United Arab Emirates has completed its relief operation for families struck by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that hit off the coast of Sarangani province on June 8, delivering more than 20,000 food parcels and 20,000 gallons of drinking water across General Santos City and affected areas of the province.
The UAE Aid response team carried out the distribution in coordination with local authorities, directing supplies toward vulnerable groups in communities where homes, basic services, and local infrastructure took the heaviest damage. The team conducted field visits across affected areas to assess conditions on the ground and determine where aid was needed most.
UAE Aid was the first foreign organisation to reach the coastal municipality of Glan, among the hardest-hit areas, with relief supplies. The on-site distribution led by UAE Ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Obaid Salem Al Qatam Alzaabi formed part of the wider operation that has now reached its full target.
General Santos City Mayor Lorelie Pacquiao welcomed the assistance during a meeting with the UAE response team. “We highly value the UAE’s support for the people of the Philippines during these difficult circumstances,” Pacquiao said. “UAE humanitarian aid is not only about providing food, medicine and basic necessities, but also about giving affected families a sense of security and hope, while alleviating the suffering of children who endured difficult moments as a result of the earthquake and the fear, loss and damage it caused to homes and facilities.”
The June 8 earthquake ranks among the deadliest to strike the Philippines in roughly half a century. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has recorded 78 deaths, with hundreds injured and more than 70,000 homes damaged across Mindanao.
