A grim scenario is emerging in southern Mindanao — which was devastated by a magnitude-7.8 earthquake last Monday — where the desperate victims are demanding a faster response from the national government.

As of yesterday, 61 people have died, more than 630 have been injured, and 33 remain missing.

Some 96,614 families or 432,999 people across 374 barangays in Regions 9, 11, 12, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have been affected.

An estimated 4.13-million people were exposed to the strong shaking and more than 30,000 homes were damaged, an estimated 5,000 completely destroyed.

Local civic and relief organizations said the government’s claim of P84.26 million released in assistance and food packs thus far was woefully inadequate.

Vacuum-sealed rice

This was worsened by complaints that the rice being distributed was unfit for human consumption. The concern emerged after netizens posted videos online showing the vacuum-packed rice distributed with relief goods in parts of General Santos City, Sarangani province, and neighboring areas was hard and inedible.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday defended the quality of the relief rice distributed to earthquake survivors following social media complaints alleging that the provisions were unusually hard, compacted, and possibly infested.

The DSWD regional office clarified that the rice was safe for consumption and that its compressed appearance was a normal result of the agency’s packaging process, not a sign of spoilage or contamination.

According to the agency, the rice was vacuum-sealed to remove air from the packaging, a method designed to prevent the growth of mold, bacteria, and weevils while extending its shelf life without chemical preservatives. The process causes the grains to become tightly compressed, creating what officials described as a temporary “brick effect.”

The DSWD explained that once the package is opened or punctured, air naturally reenters the bag, allowing the rice grains to loosen and return to their normal texture and appearance.

The controversy highlighted the growing role of social media in disaster response, where concerns can spread rapidly but also prompt immediate clarification from government agencies tasked with providing emergency assistance.

More aftershocks

Global humanitarian organization CARE’s local bureau said more than 3,000 aftershocks and three magnitude-6.0 quakes were recorded since the lethal jolt on 8 June, making assessments and aid deliveries difficult and dangerous.

“Every day that communities cannot be reached is another day without food, clean water, or medical care,” it said.

CARE Philippines Country director Reiza Dejito said their teams in the field were seeing families anxious about water, food, shelter, and the risk of further disasters, mainly on already weakened slopes.

“The next 48 to 72 hours are critical,” Dejito said.

“This is a time for coordinated action. We must move with speed, humility, and discipline — supporting the local leadership, filling urgent gaps, and ensuring that no community is left behind simply because it is hard to reach,” she added.

Dismal situation

Evacuation centers are crowded and lack lighting, private spaces and separate sanitation facilities, raising the risk of gender-based violence, according to CARE.

Dignity kits with hygiene items and sanitary products that women and girls rely on are in critically short supply, it said.

Women in isolated communities face the double burden of being cut off from aid by damaged roads, and being unsupported in the evacuation centers they fled to.

CARE said the response from foreign groups have arrived through the ACCESS Consortium, a group of 14 humanitarian organizations supported by the European Union, which is already on the ground.

Teams have distributed personal hygiene items and clean water to 150 families in Maasim and T’boli and have provided psychosocial support to 377 people, including 77 children in evacuation centers in Malapatan.

What’s missing

With nearly 85,000 families affected across 349 communities, the government must step in immediately.

“What’s missing is the speed and scale to reach them. Every delay puts more lives at risk,” CARE said.

The Office of Civil Defense’s claim midweek that government responders had reached isolated areas was in direct conflict to CARE Philippines’ 12 June dispatch.

Some villages can still only be reached by boat or helicopter. In other areas, entire communities remain cut off by damaged roads and impassable bridges.

‘We will rise again’

Meanwhile, four buildings on the main campus of Notre Dame of Dadiangas University (NDDU) have been placed under restricted access following structural assessments.

The General Santos City Office of the Building Official classified the Henry Ruiz Building and Leonard Sonza Building under “red tag” status, declaring the structures unsafe for occupancy and completely off-limits pending further evaluation and rehabilitation.

The Michael O’Keefe Building and Covered Area 1 were placed under “yellow tag” status, allowing only limited access while engineers continue to assess their structural integrity.

NDDU president Br. Manuel V. de Leon said inspections were carried out across the university’s Main, Lagao, and Espina campuses in General Santos City. At the same time, the Municipal Engineering Office evaluated the Glamang campus in Polomolok. Aside from the four affected structures, all other university facilities were declared safe for use.

“We are not losing hope,” De Leon said. “We will rise again.”

Not a one-shot deal — Gatchalian

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the government will not give up until all affected residents can rise again.

“This is not a one-shot deal, meaning that once you are no longer in the headlines, we will not disappear,” Gatchalian told local reporters in Davao Occidental.

“Our efforts are sustained. We will not give up until you are all able to rise again”, he added.

The DSWD chief visited Davao Occidental to assess the situation on the ground and identify additional interventions needed by the affected families and individuals.

“Earlier, I had requested lists from the province so we could start the emergency cash transfer. Our goal is to start as soon as possible, hopefully next Saturday. At the latest, maybe within two Mondays from now,” Gatchalian said.

Meanwhile, the agency continuously distributes family food packs, ready-to-eat food, non-food items and cash assistance.

Gatchalian said the government’s emergency cash transfer program may be implemented in waves to ensure the orderly and efficient distribution of assistance to all affected residents.

“This initial [assistance] is just to get things started. Once a more in-depth assessment is completed and further recovery efforts are needed, we will return and provide additional support,” he said.

“What is important is that we can begin immediately,” he added.

The agency’s latest Disaster Response Operations Management, Information and Communication report revealed that more than P24 million in food and non-food assistance has been provided to affected residents across the Davao Region.

The DSWD said Gatchalian will proceed directly to General Santos City following his Saturday visit to Davao Occidental.

“Gatchalian is expected to meet with local government officials of General Santos City and Glan, Sarangani on Sunday to discuss other interventions needed by affected families and individuals,” the agency said.