When a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck offshore of Sarangani Province on 8 June 2026, nearly 1.7 million people across Mindanao were affected, with thousands displaced by damaged homes, continued aftershocks, and other earthquake-related hazards. As communities began to recover, health workers across Sarangani and Davao Occidental continued providing essential health services, including maternal and newborn care, routine immunization, care for chronic diseases, mental health support, and safe water interventions while responding to the evolving needs of affected communities. Keeping these services running became just as important as the emergency response itself.
People still need medicines for chronic diseases, safe deliveries for mothers and newborns, routine immunization for children, clean drinking water, and mental health support. Meeting these everyday health needs while responding to an emergency placed even greater pressure on local health systems.
Working in close coordination with the Department of Health (DOH), regional, provincial and municipal health offices, and local health authorities, WHO conducted joint field assessments across Sarangani Province and Davao Occidental to understand the evolving health needs of affected communities. The mission visited Rural Health Units (RHUs), hospitals, emergency medical teams, temporary shelters and local response operations to assess the continuity of essential health services, identify remaining gaps, and inform actions to strengthen health systems and emergency preparedness.
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WHO conduct a field assessment inside the Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team (PEMAT) field medical facility in Glan, Sarangani, following the June 2026 earthquake to assess emergency health service delivery and strengthen preparedness. Credit: Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team Central Mindanao
Preparedness made the difference
The mission highlighted how investments in preparedness can strengthen health systems and help ensure essential health services remain available during emergencies.
Across several municipalities, Rural Health Units (RHUs) continued providing essential services despite prolonged aftershocks. Backup generators protected vaccines and other temperature-sensitive commodities during power interruptions, while established coordination mechanisms enabled local governments, the Department of Health (DOH), and humanitarian partners to mobilize resources and respond quickly to evolving needs. Together, these efforts helped communities continue accessing care while reducing disruptions to essential health services.
WHO also provided technical support to the Philippine Emergency Medical Assistance Team (PEMAT) Central Mindanao, which was deployed to augment local health services in Glan, Sarangani. Through assessments against international Emergency Medical Team standards, WHO identified good practices and opportunities to further strengthen the quality and readiness of future emergency deployments.
Dr. Faisal Romancap, Medical Specialist III and PEMAT Team Lead, said achieving WHO verification would further strengthen future emergency responses.
"Our ultimate goal is to achieve WHO verification. Once WHO standards are in place, our emergency response becomes better, easier, and more organized."
Recovery goes beyond emergency care
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WHO visits a DSWD-managed temporary shelter in Glan, Sarangani, to engage with displaced families and local responders and better understand priority health, water, sanitation, and psychosocial support needs during the recovery phase following the June 2026 earthquake. Credit: WHO Philippines/P.Esquerra
As communities transitioned from emergency response to recovery, local governments and health workers worked to restore services and meet the evolving needs of affected populations. While many health facilities remained operational and response efforts helped stabilize the situation, the assessments also identified areas where additional support could strengthen recovery and improve preparedness for future emergencies.
Several municipalities reported shortages of medicines for hypertension and other chronic conditions, while damaged health facilities affected access to maternal health services in some areas. Extended power outages also disrupted vaccine storage in affected barangays, highlighting the importance of resilient cold chain systems. Water quality concerns further increased the risk of waterborne diseases, prompting WHO to provide a total of 48,000 water purification tablets while working with partners to strengthen water, sanitation, and hygiene interventions.
The assessments also reinforced the importance of mental health support during recovery. Even weeks after the earthquake, many families remained hesitant to return to their homes because of continuing aftershocks, Health workers trained in mental health and psychosocial delivered Psychological First Aid and community-based services alongside routine primary health care to affected communities and identified the need to further strengthen these services for both communities and emergency responders.
Building resilience for the future
Ensuring that people can continue accessing essential health services, from routine care and maternal health to mental health support and safe drinking water, is not just a response activity but rather a forefront in establishing recovery and rehabilitation.
The lessons from the Sarangani earthquake show that investing in resilient health systems before disasters strike can help reduce their impact on communities when they do. Working alongside the Department of Health and local partners, WHO remains committed to supporting emergency preparedness and strengthening the systems that protect people's health when it matters most.