Cebu City has launched a weeklong donation drive for families affected by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck southern Mindanao on June 8, as local officials move to speed up relief delivery to hard-hit communities.
Mayor Nestor Archival urged residents to prioritize in-kind donations over cash, saying relief goods can be transported and distributed faster to affected areas.
The donation campaign began on Monday, June 15, with a collection center set up in front of the Cebu City Hall Legislative Building.
Donations will be accepted daily from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. until June 20.
City Hall said the initiative aims to support thousands of families displaced by the earthquake, which damaged infrastructure, disrupted utilities, and limited access to basic services across parts of southern Mindanao.
Archival appealed to the public to donate goods that can be immediately used by survivors.
“Akong hangyo: if naay mo-donate og cash, ipalit na lang,” the mayor said.
The city is accepting bottled water, rice, butane canisters, blankets, toiletries, and tarpaulins, which officials identified as among the most urgently needed supplies in evacuation and affected areas.
Once the collection period ends, all donations will be transported by truck to General Santos City and other affected areas in coordination with local disaster response units.
Relief operations continue in parts of Sarangani Province, where landslides and damaged road networks have slowed the delivery of aid.
In some areas such as Malapatan and Glan, responders have resorted to alternative routes and air transport to reach isolated communities.
Aside from the donation drive, Cebu City has also committed financial assistance to earthquake-hit areas.
The Cebu City Council earlier approved a resolution authorizing the release of P5 million in aid to General Santos City, sourced from the city’s share of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) revenues.
The request was initiated by the mayor and endorsed through Councilor David Tumulak, chair of the Committee on Budget and Finance.
Archival said the city’s response reflects a sense of reciprocity for past assistance received by Cebu during previous disasters.
“During the time na nagkalisod ta, daghan kaayo ang mga tao na nagtabang nato. In fact, Mindanao was also helping us. This is the right time for us to reciprocate,” he said.
The donation drive forms part of a broader wave of assistance from Cebu-based local governments.
The Cebu Provincial Government earlier sent two wing-van trucks of relief goods to Sarangani Province and approved a separate P10-million financial assistance package for General Santos City.
Mandaue City has also pledged P1 million in aid, while Lapu-Lapu City has placed trained disaster response personnel on standby for possible deployment.
City Hall said the immediate focus is mobilizing residents, organizations, and businesses to contribute essential supplies for survivors still recovering from one of the strongest earthquakes to hit Mindanao in recent years.
Photo courtesy of Philippine News Agency
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