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UAE delivers 20,000 food packs to earthquake-hit Philippine town despite strong aftershocks
The first foreign humanitarian team to reach the area hit by the June 8 magnitude 7.8 earthquake was awaiting a truckload of supplies when a strong aftershock shook the ground for several seconds
- PUBLISHED: Sat 20 Jun 2026, 6:00 AM
Members of the UAE Aid team in the town of Glan in southern Philippines were deep in discussion with the local mayor on Thursday when a strong aftershock hit. It measured Magnitude 5.3.
The first foreign humanitarian team to reach the area devastated by the June 8 Magnitude 7.8 tremor were waiting for the truck full of relief goods to arrive when suddenly the ground shook for several seconds.
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Calmly, the team moved to a clear area. But, briefly, there were nervous smiles until the shaking stopped.
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There have been more than 6,000 aftershocks since June 8, several of which are considered “strong,” aside from new earthquakes.
Glan mayor Victor James Yap reported at least 23 casualties among his constituents while 17 remain missing.
“The missing were buried in the several landslides in our municipality. Chances of rescuing them are getting slim by the day, but their families are requesting that our rescue efforts continue,” he told Khaleej Times, which was present in the area during the distribution of relief goods.
Still unsafe
But the rescuers’ safety is also a concern. Roads leading to several outward villages remain blocked by landslides and residents are running out of food and water. An area in Sarangani province also reported of damming where a new lake is created by blockages. If it bursts, communities may be inundated.
Aside from search and retrieval operations, Mayor Yap is busy with the 24,000 families who evacuated from their destroyed or substantially damaged houses. “As long as they do not have houses to go back to, they could not go back to work and feed themselves,” he said.
The Philippine social welfare department and UAE Aid’s relief food packs are a big help, he added, but his people could not begin rebuilding their lives without houses.
The local executive and the survivors were unequivocal in their gratitude for the arrival of the aid workers from the UAE. They patiently waited for the relief trucks and drinking water to arrive, which did just as UAE Ambassador to the Philippines Mohamed Obaid Salem Al Qatam Alzaabi arrived just as the strong aftershock ended. The envoy was on the road when the aftershock struck.
UAE cares
Ambassador Alzaabi visited the town’s field hospital where hundreds of patients are being treated. The town’s hospital had been declared structurally unsafe after the quake.
Since the field hospital is located at the town’s biggest school campus, Ambassador Alzaabi was also shown the condemned buildings that could no longer be used as classrooms.
The diplomat then joined the UAE Aid team at Glan’s park that was converted into an evacuation center. Amid tents that house families, the ambassador saw for himself the necessity of the UAE government’s assistance to the survivors.
It will take several days for all 20,000 food packs and water gallons to be distributed. The UAE Aid team will be on the ground for several days to deliver relief goods to other villages in the municipality.