Cut off by quake: Sarangani’s remote towns plead for water, food

SARANGANI, Philippines — A quiet but worsening humanitarian crisis has unfolded across Sarangani, where isolated communities in Malapatan and Glan continue to grapple with dwindling water supplies, damaged infrastructure, and limited access to relief following the recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake.

Road damage, landslides, and the collapse of critical infrastructure have complicated relief operations and left thousands of residents dependent on water rationing, private donations, and whatever assistance can reach their communities.

In Sitio Pananggalon in Malapatan, rows of empty plastic gallons now line roadsides as families wait for water deliveries after the earthquake damaged pipelines and disrupted supply across several villages.

47-year-old resident Remilyn Gaiz said the lack of water has become the family’s biggest struggle.

“It’s extremely difficult. Since Monday, we’ve struggled to get water, and because so many people in Malapatan need it, the supply no longer reaches our area,” she said in Bisaya.

“After the earthquake, we weren’t prepared for something like this. The water lines were damaged and, with so many areas needing supply, the water no longer reaches us.”

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Gaiz said her family has no alternative water source and now relies entirely on intermittent deliveries.

“We have no other water source. Right now, we depend on whatever deliveries come. It’s especially difficult for the children. It hurts to hear them cry because they’re thirsty,” she said.

She added that even buying drinking water has become difficult because supplies have run out. They also tried to get water from another barangay, but they had to endure long lines and the heat.

The empty containers left along the roadside, she said, represent hope that a passing tanker or donor might stop.

“We leave those containers by the roadside, hoping someone will come and deliver water so we can receive some,” she said.

READ: EXPLAINER: Why did the magnitude 7.8 quake Saranggani quake happen?

Damaged pipelines, fuel shortages complicate gov’t responseMalapatan Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head Mark Quiño said damaged water pipelines—not reservoirs—have created the municipality’s biggest challenge.

“Even during normal days, water already poses a challenge in some areas. The earthquake damaged the pipelines, and while repairs continue, we cannot immediately restore the entire interconnected system,” he said.

The municipal government has deployed water-rationing operations through the Bureau of Fire Protection, while installing additional water stations, but fuel shortages have hampered response efforts.

“We have to prioritize available fuel for ambulances and rescue vehicles,” Quiño said, noting that some fuel suppliers have either suffered earthquake damage or run out of stock.

He also said bottled water has become increasingly difficult to purchase, with shortages extending even to nearby General Santos City.

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Power outages have further complicated restoration efforts because many water systems rely on electricity to operate.

Quiño said private partners continue to provide water while supplies last, and additional water tankers are expected to augment distribution once storage facilities become available.

As of the latest municipal tally, Malapatan has recorded 2,789 affected families or 13,945 individuals, with 46 families currently sheltering in tents at the municipal plaza.

Municipality calls for organized donations

Local officials have appealed for all donations to pass through the incident command post to ensure accountability, food safety, and equitable distribution.

Quiño warned that uncoordinated roadside distribution has already caused crowding and safety concerns.

He urged donors and content creators coordinating independent relief drives to work with authorities so aid reaches intended beneficiaries safely and systematically.

Among the municipality’s most urgent needs are drinking water, jerry cans, food packs, tents, hygiene kits, kitchen kits, portable charging stations, and fuel for emergency response vehicles.

Officials also noted that some residents continue to sleep in open spaces because they fear returning to damaged structures or evacuation buildings.

Glan residents struggle with isolationIn neighboring Glan, residents have gathered along highways holding handwritten placards and appealing for assistance after landslides severed access to the town center.

Edward Lama, 49, described the worsening conditions.

“We’re gathered here asking for help because we have no food, no water, and no rice. We can no longer reach the town center because landslides have blocked the roads,” he said.

He added that fuel supplies have nearly run out in Glan, while prices in neighboring municipalities have become prohibitively expensive.

“We have nowhere else to go. We need rice,” he said.

71-year-old Herminio Asas also said that even obtaining maintenance medicines has become difficult.

“Since the earthquake, we’ve struggled to get rice, water, and maintenance medicines because we can no longer reach the town center due to impassable roads,” Lama said.

Although alternative routes exist, he said they significantly increase transportation costs.

“You can still get through, but motorcycle fares double—and that’s only one way. Fuel has become very expensive.”

Hardest-hit provinceAlthough General Santos City suffered highly visible structural damage, Sarangani, particularly Malapatan and Glan, absorbed some of the earthquake’s most devastating impacts.

Malapatan recorded Instrumental Intensity VIII, or “Very Destructive,” according to DOST-PHIVOLCS, resulting in the collapse of the Sapu Masla Bridge and widespread infrastructure damage, which isolated communities along the coast.

In Glan, landslides buried homes, blocked highways, and severely restricted land access, forcing some rescue and relief operations to rely on air assets while clearing operations continued.

With damaged roads, disrupted utilities, and persistent aftershocks complicating relief efforts, residents across both municipalities continue to appeal for one of the most necessary necessities in the aftermath of disaster./coa