President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. along with Housing Secretary Jose Ramon Aliling on Monday personally inspected areas devastated by last week's powerful earthquake in Sarangani, assuring residents that government assistance and recovery programs are being rolled out to help communities rebuild.
They visited evacuation centers and damaged facilities in the province as national agencies accelerated relief operations following the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck parts of Regions 11 and 12.
The disaster left at least 60 people dead and displaced thousands of families.
Marcos first met with displaced residents staying at an evacuation center in Glan, where he checked on their condition and listened to their concerns. He later visited patients at the Sarangani Provincial Hospital and inspected other areas affected by the quake.
Government agencies have begun delivering emergency assistance, including shelter support, food aid and other essential services for affected families. Authorities are also assessing damage to infrastructure and housing as part of ongoing recovery efforts.
Among the agencies on the ground is the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), which has deployed officials to coordinate shelter-related interventions for displaced residents.