What we do
Learn more about what ShelterBox does to empower people to recover from disaster or conflict with emergency shelter.
Damage from the earthquake that struck Cebu in 2025.
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What happened in the Philippines?
On the morning of Monday, June 8th, 2026, a powerful 7.8‑magnitude earthquake struck off the southern island of Mindanao.
The epicentre was located 8 miles (13km) south-west of General Santos City, at a depth of 6.2 miles. Around 2.4 million people live within 100km of the epicentre, including more than 700,000 in General Santos City.
More than 1.68 million people have been affected across six key regions, with 81 killed, over 1,300 injured and 31 still missing.
Frequent and powerful aftershocks continue to affect communities across Mindanao. More than 11,000 aftershocks have been recorded so far, including some reaching a magnitude of 6.5. These ongoing tremors continue to damage homes and infrastructure. In some cases, houses that survived the initial earthquake have since been destroyed by subsequent aftershocks.
With more than 19,300 homes completely destroyed and a further 102,000 partially damaged, people are in desperate need of shelter.
Many communities are now facing additional challenges. Heavy rainfall linked to Typhoon Bavi and seasonal monsoons is increasing existing risks, while major landslides have forced even more people from their homes in some areas.
There are also a limited number of organisations focused on providing shelter in the region, making our work even more critical.
Nearly 70% of the 95,000 people forced from their homes are staying outside of evacuation centres, often with relatives or in makeshift shelters near their damaged houses.
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ShelterBox Operations Philippines conducting assessments after the Mindanao earthquake, 2026.
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How is ShelterBox responding?
Our highly experienced ShelterBox Philippines team, alongside our local partners Integrated Resource Development for Tri‑People (IRDT) and the Rotary Club of Metro Dadiangas, spoke to families and carried out assessments to understand what communities needed.
Distributions of aid have now begun despite delays caused by bad weather conditions. Nearly 500 families across seven villages have received shelter toolkits and plans are in place to reach another 1300 households by 21 July.
Further assessments are needed in the municipality of Jose Abad Santos (JAS) in Davao Occidental, which the team hopes to complete by 24 July. Activities here have been delayed due to access constraints from frequent landslides.
DonateWe are supporting families with emergency shelter and essential aid items, including shelter toolkits, tarpaulins, typhoon straps, kitchen sets, blankets, mosquito nets, solar lights, water containers and basic hygiene items. A small amount of cash assistance will also be provided per family to meet additional shelter needs.
We have emergency shelter supplies pre-positioned in Cebu and are ready for moments like this. We are also in close contact with Rotary partners in General Santos City, who are on standby to provide relevant support as assessments are carried out.
Donate TodayHas ShelterBox responded in the Philippines before?
We have responded in the Philippines more than 30 times, supporting communities affected by tropical storms, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and conflict.
In the 2025 Cebu earthquake, we supported people with emergency shelter kits to improve their immediate living conditions. These included tarpaulins, shelter repair kits, solar lights, mosquito nets and blankets. We also provided cash assistance so people could address their specific shelter needs.
Having worked across the country for many years, we are well placed to provide tailored support that reflects the different needs of each community.
How we prepare to respond
The Philippines is regularly affected by natural hazards. It sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes are common, and faces frequent tropical storms during the year.
That is why we store aid in key locations like Cebu and maintain strong partnerships with local organizations.
This preparedness means we can act quickly when disaster strikes.
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Rodulfo and Mary outside of their home that was destroyed by Typhoon Bualoi, 2025.
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How to support people after disaster
Our team is responding in the Philippines, working alongside local partners to deliver emergency shelter and essential aid to families affected by the earthquake.
As recovery needs evolve, we will continue adapting our support to reach the communities most affected, including those facing additional challenges from aftershocks, landslides and severe weather. Drawing on decades of experience in the Philippines, we are helping families access the shelter and essential items they need to stay safe and begin rebuilding their lives.
Your support enables us to respond quickly when disasters strike. It helps us provide emergency shelter to the people who need it most – in the Philippines and around the world.
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