In isolated Glan village, families survive on boiled bananas, coconuts

Displaced families stay under a makeshift shelter in an upland area of Barangay Burias in Glan, Sarangani, after leaving their coastal homes following the earthquake. (Marc Cosep/CDN DIgital)

SARANGANI, Philippines — Nearly a week after a powerful earthquake rattled southern Mindanao, families in one of Glan town’s most isolated communities are still waiting for relief goods, with many surviving on boiled bananas, sweet potatoes and coconuts as damaged roads, poor communication and lack of transport continue to hamper aid delivery.

Residents of Purok Kasulotan in Barangay Burias face hardships that go beyond the fear left by Monday’s quake. With no cellular signal, no electricity, no running water or reliable transportation, reaching help, or waiting for it, has become another daily battle.

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When CDN Digital visited the community on June 11, residents said many families had already exhausted their food supplies and had begun sharing whatever they could gather from nearby farms and coconut trees.

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“We are really suffering here. We even have sick people, and evacuating them has become very difficult because of our situation and because we have no transportation,” said Didoy Dadu, a 60-year-old resident.

“We even have sick people, and evacuating them has become difficult because of our situation and because we have no transportation,” he said.

Dadu also appealed for equal distribution of relief goods, saying every family in the community had suffered regardless of the extent of damage to their homes.

“Relief distribution should not be selective because everyone here has been affected. People cannot even work because of fear, so how can they earn a living?” he said.

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Without fuel for motorcycles, residents now walk long uphill and downhill trails just to collect water, a journey that takes about an hour.

“We are enduring this because motorcycles can no longer travel without fuel, and the water source is very far away,” Dadu said.

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He added that no village officials had visited their area as of June 11 and that residents often learned about developments only through word of mouth.

Six families currently live in their section of Purok Kasulotan, many with young children.

Despite the hardship, Dadu said leaving remains unthinkable.

“We have no plans to relocate because moving would only make life harder. Our products and our livelihood are here,” he said.

Nearly a week after a powerful earthquake rattled southern Mindanao, families in one of Glan town’s most isolated communities are still waiting for relief goods. (Marc Cosep/CDN Digital)

Trauma drives families uphill

A few minutes away, another cluster of displaced families has turned a former copra smoke-drying area into a temporary settlement.

Using bamboo poles, dried coconut fronds and salvaged roofing sheets, they have converted rustic shelters into makeshift homes that offer only minimal protection from the elements.

Purok leader Morsel Kingkim, 60, said around 15 families who once lived along the coast evacuated to higher ground after witnessing the sea recede following Monday’s earthquake.

“The earthquake traumatized us. We came from the coastal area and moved to the mountains because we saw the sea receding,” he said.

Now staying with relatives and neighbors in the upland area, the families have had trouble securing enough food and water.

“We have struggled to find food and water since Monday. We always prioritize the children,” Kingkim said.

As supplies dwindle, residents make do by sharing whatever they can collect.

“When supplies run short, we boil bananas, and sometimes we survive only on young coconuts,” he said.

Nearby, another six families endure nearly the same conditions, sharing whatever bananas, sweet potatoes or coconuts they can find whenever rice runs out.

Kingkim said they also urgently need clothing and medicines, especially for sick residents sleeping on beds made from coconut fronds.

“We badly need clothes and medicines because we have sick people here,” he said.

Aid delayed by damaged roads, closed banks

Barangay Councilor Hussehn Dianang acknowledged that Barangay Burias had yet to distribute relief assistance as of June 11, saying damaged roads, communication problems and funding constraints had slowed operations.

“We are here assisting our constituents who should receive relief assistance,” he said.

He said the entire barangay, with more than 4,000 residents, or roughly 1,000 families, had not yet received relief goods from the barangay itself.

“The entire Barangay Burias has not yet received assistance because our barangay funds have not been released since the banks are closed,” Dianang said.

A makeshift shelter made of coconut fronds, bamboo and salvaged materials houses displaced residents in an upland area of Barangay Burias in Glan, Sarangani, nearly a week after a powerful earthquake struck southern Mindanao. (Marc Cosep/CDN Digital)

Officials have tried to arrange temporary borrowing agreements while waiting for fund releases but have yet to secure financing.

He also cited damaged roads and the absence of communication services as major obstacles during the first days after the earthquake.

“Funds have been provided, but because banks are closed, government money takes a long time to process. Damaged roads and the lack of signal have also hindered operations,” he said.

Dianang said provincial and municipal food packs were expected to arrive later that day, with the barangay planning to prioritize rice distribution before gradually expanding assistance.

He assured residents that relief distribution would cover all families, including those whose homes were damaged and those whose houses remained standing.

“Everyone will receive food packs. All families will receive assistance,” Dianang said.

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The barangay has also begun listing households to document partially and totally damaged homes while slowly hauling water into affected areas and urging residents to remain calm. /dm

HELP MINDANAO EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

The Inquirer Foundation is calling for support for communities devastated by the recent magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Mindanao.

In partnership with the Philippine Red Cross, the foundation is amplifying appeals for food, clean water and other critical assistance for affected families.

Donors may send contributions directly to the Philippine Red Cross through its official transfer channels, the complete list is available on the PRC’s Facebook page.

The Philippine Red Cross has activated its emergency fund campaign and deployed teams on the ground to provide medical services, distribute relief goods and extend psychosocial support to affected families.