The Cebu Provincial Board has approved P25 million in financial aid for four Mindanao provinces hit hard by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck off Sarangani on June 8.

During its session on Monday, the board unanimously passed four resolutions. These authorize Cebu Governor Pam Baricuatro to release P10 million to Sarangani province and P5 million each to Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, and South Cotabato.

Provincial Board Member Red Duterte authored the resolutions. They were approved en masse during a session presided over by Provincial Board Member Stanley Caminero.

The quake, which struck on June 8, caused widespread damage across the region. Thousands of families were displaced, and infrastructure — including roads, bridges, and schools — was destroyed or severely damaged.

Cebu's aid comes as part of a broader response from local governments and national agencies. The amount will be drawn from the province's disaster response funds.

Governor Baricuatro hasn't yet announced how the funds will be distributed or what specific needs they'll address. But the resolutions give her authority to release the money immediately.

The hardest-hit province

Sarangani, which sits closest to the epicenter, received the largest share — P10 million. The province's coastal towns, including Glan and Malapatan, reported collapsed buildings and cracked roads.

Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, and South Cotabato each get P5 million. These provinces also suffered significant damage, particularly in rural barangays where many houses are made of light materials.

Local disaster officials in those areas have been pleading for heavy equipment to clear debris and for temporary shelter materials. The Cebu aid will likely be used for food, water, and emergency shelter kits.

How Cebu's aid process works

The provincial board's approval is a standard step. Under the Local Government Code, any release of funds above a certain amount requires board authorization.

Governor Baricuatro can now sign the release orders. The money will be transferred to the respective provincial treasuries of the recipient provinces.

Cebu has a history of sending aid to disaster-hit areas. In 2023, it sent P20 million to provinces affected by Typhoon Odette. This latest aid follows that tradition.

What happens next

The four provinces will receive the funds in the coming days. Each province's local disaster risk reduction and management office will handle distribution.

Cebu's provincial government hasn't set conditions on how the money must be spent. But standard practice requires recipient provinces to submit liquidation reports within 60 days.

For now, the focus is on getting help to families who lost everything in the quake. The ground continues to shake with aftershocks, and many residents are still sleeping in evacuation centers or open fields.

The P25 million from Cebu won't rebuild everything. But for a family eating relief goods under a tarpaulin, it's a sign that someone far away remembered them.