Four days after Philippines earthquake, access to isolated Mindanao communities remains urgent

Philippines Source: CARE CARE Philippines, Manila, June 12, 2026 — As the Philippines marks Independence Day, more than 400,000 people have been affected, with tens of thousands displaced and many homes damaged. Forty-seven lives have been lost. Some villages can still only be reached by boat or helicopter. In other areas, entire communities remain cut off by damaged roads and impassable bridges. More than 3,000 aftershocks and three magnitude 6.0 earthquakes have been recorded since June 8, 2026 making assessment and delivery difficult and dangerous. Every day that communities cannot be reached is another day without food, clean water, or medical care. “What will become of our land? Going back would only put us in more danger,” said Siolito Moldan, a resident of Jose Abad Santos . Cracks have spread across the mountainside above his community, and large boulders still loom over homes below. With aftershocks continuing, returning is more dangerous than staying away. “There is nothing to go back to.” His neighbor Leonila Manda shares his fear. But she has already seen the worst of it. A rockslide from the mountain damaged her home, and a landslide swept away the coconut trees that her family depends on for their income. “I am scared of what will happen to us in the days ahead,” she said. “We have lost our home and our livelihood. What do we do now?” Reiza S. Dejito, CARE Philippines’ Country Director , said teams in the field are meeting families anxious about water, food, shelter, and the risk of further disasters on already weakened slopes. Access remains urgent. Some communities are difficult to reach because of landslides, damaged roads, disrupted transport, and continuing safety risks. “The next 48 to 72 hours are critical,” said Dejito. “This is a moment for coordinated action. We must move with speed, humility, and discipline — supporting local leadership, filling urgent gaps, and ensuring that no community is left behind simply because it is hard to reach.” T