To assess medical facilities and hospital staff to ensure the safety of patients following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake off the coast of Sarangani, the Philippine Red Cross deployed personnel to General Santos City.
PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard J. Gordon ordered the immediate mobilization of humanitarian resources across Mindanao. Health and Welfare Services teams conducted initial status checks on major medical institutions in the city.
Dr. Ryan Aplicador, medical director of the government-operated Dr. Jorge P. Royeca Hospital, confirmed that the facility remains fully operational. While hospital engineers conduct assessments to verify the building’s structural integrity, ambulatory patients have been temporarily moved to the hospital field as a safety measure.
Admitted trauma patients, meanwhile, continue to receive care inside the facility under medical supervision.
The privately owned, level-two Dadiangas Medical Center also remains fully functional but reported occurrences of falling debris. As a safety precaution, all admitted patients were moved outside the building. The PRC General Santos City Chapter set up an emergency tent in the vicinity.
Specialized assessment teams also continue to monitor structural safety and inspect other healthcare infrastructure throughout the city. The PRC is coordinating with hospital administrations and local engineers to maintain the safety of medical workers and patients while determining further relief needs.
