Photo by Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News
Where will we live?
This is the cry of thousands of residents in Sarangani province who lost their homes after a magnitude 6.8 earthquake jolted parts of Mindanao last Friday.
In the town of Glan, several houses made of light materials were completely destroyed by the temblor.
Violeta Cabeje's son is desperately searching for pieces of wood from the collapsed part of their house, hoping to rebuild a new home.
Cabeje said she has no other recourse but to start again.
"Sabi ko 'Lord, Ikaw na ang bahala sa akin. Kung puwede matulungan niyo kami. Hirap na hirap na kami. Wala ako pera, wala na ako asawa,'" Cabeje pleaded while crying.
Jesen Ortega is also uncertain about how he will recover from the tragedy caused by the earthquake.
His house, located near the sea, collapsed and was swallowed by large waves.
"Tulungan niyo po kami. Maawa po kayo sa akin. Wala talaga ako kahit ano," Ortega begged.
Residents said they are grateful for the food assistance they received, which came via trucks from the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
For those who lost their homes, it is important that they still have a place to call their own.
They are appealing for construction materials that can help them quickly rebuild after the calamity.
According to Glan Mayor Victor James Yap Sr., financial assistance of 10,000 pesos will be provided to homeowners who have suffered partial damage, while those with totally damaged houses will receive a larger amount. The specific amount is still being evaluated.
According to the records of the Sarangani Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), there are over 1,300 partially and totally damaged houses in the towns of Glan, Malapatan, Alabel, and Maasim due to the earthquake.
A total of 2,138 households have been affected, with disrupted livelihoods and damaged homes in the towns of Glan, Malapatan, and Alabel in Sarangani.