UN support to gov’t earthquake response helps assistance reach most affected areas

Following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake off the coast of Maasim, Sarangani on 8 June, the United Nations in the Philippines has provided lifesaving support, including food packs and medical assistance, to communities hard hit by the disaster.

Nearly 1.7 million people were affected by the seismic event in Mindanao. Government figures report 81 deaths, over 1,300 injuries and 31 missing persons. Around 90,000 people remain displaced as of 30 June, with many staying in evacuation centres and makeshift shelters due to continued aftershocks—over 11,100 of which have been reported, hampering response efforts. The Consolidated Assessment Report, published by the Humanitarian Country Team, brings together government data and inter-agency assessments while outlining priority needs. 

United Nations agencies have been supporting Government-led humanitarian response in affected areas in Regions IX, XI, XII and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Following the earthquake, the World Food Programme (WFP) deployed staff and critical emergency equipment to support the Government in establishing emergency logistics hubs. Three mobile storage units were installed, each capable of safely storing up to 500 metric tonnes of relief items. Through WFP’s transport and logistics support, more than 640,000 people received family food packs and other humanitarian assistance, including family tents and shelter repair kits.

An emergency telecommunications mobile unit and a mobile food kitchen, co-designed with WFP, were also deployed to bolster connectivity services for responders and evacuees and to provide hot meals to affected communities. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) provided emergency medical assistance to ensure the continuity of essential services despite damage to local health facilities. 

 WHO worked alongside the Department of Health and local authorities to assess health needs across affected communities, ensure the alignment of the Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team - Central Mindanao with global Emergency Medical Team standards, and provide 48,000 water purification tablets to support safe drinking water. 

UNFPA delivered emergency maternity tent facilities and reproductive health kits to address gaps in infrastructure and equipment for obstetric and gynecological services. Over 1,800 dignity kits were also distributed to cover the hygiene, maternal and newborn care needs of affected families.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) have been tracking displacement and coordinating with local government and partners for shelter and protection assistance.

IOM is working closely with Government on camp coordination and the provision of emergency shelter. A rapid needs assessment was conducted to identify the top priorities of hard-hit areas, and a displacement tracking matrix was launched to monitor the situation in evacuation sites and self-settled sites. 

UNHCR has also been conducting protection monitoring activities and assessments and facilitating field coordination with local government and partners. Private sector partnerships are being tapped to mobilize local resources for the response.

To address the school disruptions caused by the earthquake—an estimated 3 million students across 6,000 schools were affected—the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) conducted engineering assessments of more than 50 school buildings and 175 classrooms in General Santos City and surrounding communities. The assessment findings will provide a technical foundation for the Government’s recovery and rebuilding plans for more resilient infrastructure.

As the emergency response transitions into recovery, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) continues to monitor evolving response efforts and will coordinate any response from the UN system the government may request.

“In a very experienced upper-middle-income country like the Philippines, the government is the clear lead on humanitarian response, and the United Nations only plays a supporting role,” said Arnaud Peral, United Nations Resident Coordinator in the Philippines. “The UN system will continue to engage with the government not just on immediate support but also on disaster preparedness, anticipatory action and recovery.” 

View OCHA’s earthquake response overview for the latest updates.