Japan's largest home-furnishing company, Nitori, has turned over ₱37.5 million in cash and in-kind donations to support families displaced by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao in June.

The donation, coursed through the Office of First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and the Department of Tourism (DOT), includes ₱30 million in financial assistance to fund the construction of temporary shelter pods and ₱7.5 million worth of household essentials.

The assistance was formalized through a memorandum of agreement signed by Nitori and the GMA Kapuso Foundation during a ceremony in General Santos City on Tuesday.

The project will benefit earthquake-hit communities in General Santos City and the municipalities of Malapatan, Tupi, Jose Abad Santos, Alabel, and Glan.

Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay said the donation stemmed from a meeting attended by the First Lady, major property developers, and Nitori Chairman Akio Nitori, during which she showed the Japanese executive a video of Filipino students responding to the earthquake.

"Malalim ang naging epekto nito kay Mr. Nitori. What he saw was not simply a disaster. He saw courage," Angara-Mathay said.

She added that it was during that meeting that Nitori committed to supporting earthquake victims.

Angara-Mathay also highlighted the role of First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos, saying compassion has been translated into concrete action through initiatives such as Lab for All and partnerships that mobilize assistance for communities in need.

"We have also seen the compassion and leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, including through initiatives such as Lab for All, which brings essential services closer to communities that need them most," she said.

The GMA Kapuso Foundation will oversee the construction of temporary shelter pods, communal hygiene stations, toilets, handwashing facilities, bathing areas, and laundry spaces.

Each 16-square-meter shelter pod will feature an extended roof for outdoor cooking and will serve as temporary housing until permanent settlements are completed. The completed shelters will later be turned over to local government units for management.

In addition to the cash donation, Nitori donated about 8,000 beddings, blankets, pillowcases, plasticware, and other household essentials worth ₱7.5 million.

More than 3,500 sets of these items will be distributed to families in Glan, Alabel, Maasim, Polomolok, and Jose Abad Santos. Around 1,000 families in Malapatan, Sarangani were the first to receive the donations.

Nitori Chairman Akio Nitori said the assistance aims to help affected families recover from the disaster.

"Today we are here with a sincere desire to offer support and encouragement. We hope that our assistance will give a sense of comfort and hope as you continue moving forward," he said through an interpreter.

The magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off the coast of Sarangani on 8 June triggered a tsunami warning and caused widespread damage to infrastructure across parts of Mindanao.