COTABATO CITY (October 7) — From the heart of Mindanao, help is on its way to quake-devastated Cebu. The Bangsamoro government and the people of Lamitan City, Basilan, have joined the nationwide outpouring of solidarity, sending nearly 20 tons of relief goods to families struggling to recover from the September 30 earthquake.
Over the weekend, the Bangsamoro government, through its humanitarian agencies and in coordination with the Philippine Air Force’s Tactical Operations Group 12 (TOG-12) in Maguindanao del Norte, airlifted critical supplies to Cebu — including 445 bags of plasma from the Cotabato Regional Medical Center, modular tents, hygiene and sleeping kits, and water containers for displaced villagers.
Chief Minister Abdulrauf Macacua said the relief mission symbolizes the Bangsamoro region’s shared grief and compassion for those suffering in the Visayas.
“This is our way of showing that in times of disaster, there are no borders — only Filipinos helping Filipinos,” Macacua said, thanking the Air Force for its swift coordination in the airlift operation.
The mission was a joint effort of the Office of the Chief Minister, the Ministry of Social Services and Development, the Office of Civil Defense–BARMM, and the Bangsamoro Rapid Emergency Action on Disaster Incidence (READi).
From Basilan, Lamitan City officials and residents also mobilized their own relief drive, shipping 10 tons of aid to northern Cebu. Mayor Roderick Furigay said Lamiteños felt a deep connection to the victims’ suffering.
“We, Lamiteños, stand with our compatriots and the foreigners who suffered from this calamity. We pray for their recovery and healing,” Furigay said.
More than 60 people have died, and hundreds were injured when the magnitude 6.9 tremor brought down buildings and triggered stampedes across Cebu. Thousands more remain in evacuation centers as aftershocks continue.
For residents of Lamitan and the Bangsamoro region, the relief mission was more than a logistical effort — it was an expression of shared humanity and resilience that stretches beyond islands and faiths.
