Several Seventh-day Adventist churches and educational facilities sustained significant damage after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mindanao on the morning of June 8, 2026.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the earthquake occurred at 7:37 a.m. with an epicenter located 32 kilometers west of Maasim, Sarangani Province, at a depth of 33 kilometers. The tremor registered at Intensity VII (Destructive) on the PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS), strongly affecting communities across Mindanao, particularly General Santos City and neighboring provinces.
Initial assessments from the Adventist Church in Southern Mindanao (SMM), revealed extensive damage to several church properties within its territory. Among the most severely affected were Malapatan Central Adventist Church in Malapatan, Sarangani Province; Gadong Adventist Church in Balangonan, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental; and Polo Adventist Church in Polomolok, South Cotabato. Reports indicate that these church structures either collapsed or sustained damage beyond immediate use.
Other local congregations reported visible cracks and structural concerns, prompting church leaders to coordinate further inspections with local government authorities and engineers.
The earthquake also impacted Matutum View Academy, a church-operated secondary school located in Barangay Acmonan, Tupi, South Cotabato. School administrators reported significant structural damage in several facilities. The Boys’ Cooking Dormitory Building was declared unsafe for occupancy, while classrooms, faculty residences, and the Junior High School Lounge sustained cracks requiring major repairs and rehabilitation.
Acmonan Adventist Church, situated within the academy campus, was likewise declared unsafe for occupancy following an evaluation conducted by local authorities.
In response, leaders of SMM immediately convened to assess the situation and coordinate emergency response efforts. Pastors throughout the territory were dispatched to conduct ocular inspections of churches and church-owned properties under their care.
“We are currently doing an assessment of all our church buildings in the territory,” said Pastor Elmer Romano, communication director of SMM. “Our headquarters withstood the strong tremors, but we are carefully evaluating the impact on church facilities throughout the mission field.”
Meanwhile, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the humanitarian agency of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, was already on the ground early today assessing the impact of the earthquake on affected communities and church properties. Working closely with local church leaders, ADRA personnel are evaluating damages and identifying immediate response needs. Assessments are expected to continue in the coming days as residents remain on alert due to persistent aftershocks being experienced throughout the region.
The earthquake was also strongly felt at South Philippine Adventist College (SPAC) in Matanao, Davao del Sur, where church leaders, faculty members, and guests had gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony of a new men's dormitory building.
“This is my first encounter with this kind of quake, and it felt like it was not a good welcome for me,” said Dr. Alfredo Agustin, newly elected president of SPAC. “However, I know God will sustain us and this college, and we shall overcome.”
Despite the challenges brought by the disaster, the groundbreaking ceremony proceeded as a testimony of faith and resilience.
During the prayer of dedication, Pastor Edwin Magdadaro, executive secretary of the Adventist Church in Southeastern Philippines (SePUM), reflected on God's enduring presence amid uncertainty.
“In moments like these, we are reminded that while the things around us may be shaken, Your(God) love, Your promises, and Your presence remain unshaken,” Magdadaro prayed. “May we find our security not in what has been shaken, but in You, Lord.”
As of this writing, no casualties among church members have been reported. Church leaders continue to gather reports from congregations and institutions throughout the affected areas to determine the full extent of the damage.
While recovery efforts are only beginning, Adventist members across Southern Mindanao are responding with faith, unity, and compassion, thru the Adventist Community Services or ACS. Church leaders are calling on members throughout the region and beyond to pray for affected churches, schools, and communities as they begin the process of rebuilding.
Though buildings may have been damaged and familiar structures shaken, church leaders remain confident that the mission of sharing hope and serving communities will continue. Across Southern Mindanao, Adventists are standing together—supporting one another and trusting in God's leading as they move forward from the disaster.
The original article was published in the Southeastern Philippine Union Mission website.