Following a destructive earthquake and a series of aftershocks that battered communities across Mindanao, the Philippine Army has launched a large-scale military response involving specialized rescue teams, multiple infantry divisions, and a significant fleet of military vehicles — all converging on affected areas with General Santos City as the primary focus of operations.
Colonel Louie G. Dema-ala, Chief Public Affairs of the Philippine Army, confirmed the details of the military mobilization in an official statement issued from Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City on Tuesday, June 9, 2026. The announcement outlined a broad, multi-unit Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) operation spanning several provinces in Mindanao.
Specialized Urban Rescue Team Sent to General Santos City
At the center of the Army's initial response is the deployment of an 18-member Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Team, which was dispatched to General Santos City — identified by the Philippine Army as the area that absorbed the most severe infrastructure damage from the earthquake. Located in Soccsksargen in Region XII, General Santos City serves as one of Mindanao's most important urban and economic centers, making the extent of damage there a top priority for disaster response authorities.
Urban Search and Rescue operations are designed to locate and extract survivors from collapsed or structurally compromised buildings while also conducting rapid assessments of damage in densely built areas. The deployment of a specialized USAR team signals the seriousness of structural damage reported in the city following the quake.
10th Infantry Division Sends 200 Troops to the Field
Alongside the USAR deployment, the 10th Infantry Division (10ID) pushed approximately 200 personnel into General Santos City as part of the HADR mission. According to Colonel Dema-ala's statement, these troops were drawn from several unit components: one platoon from the 10th Emergency Response Company (10ERC), three platoons from Task Force Gensan, one platoon from the 1002nd Infantry Brigade, and one full company from the 28th Infantry Battalion.
The multi-component structure of this deployment reflects the scope and complexity of the relief operation, with each unit element assigned to specific sectors and responsibilities. As the designated emergency unit within the formation, the 10th Emergency Response Company is expected to spearhead technical rescue efforts, while the infantry units provide logistical support, security, and manpower for broader relief activities.
In addition to troops already conducting operations on the ground, the Philippine Army confirmed that approximately 530 additional personnel from 53 HADR teams under the 10ID are currently on standby alert. These forces can be rapidly surged into the disaster zone should the need arise — particularly if additional survivors are located beneath rubble or if conditions worsen following continued aftershock activity.
6th Infantry Division Extends Coverage Across Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat
While the 10ID concentrates its efforts primarily in General Santos City, the 6th Infantry Division (6ID) has taken on a wider geographic mandate. According to the Philippine Army's official statement, the 6ID has deployed 53 personnel from 12 HADR teams sourced from the 105th Infantry Battalion and the 37th Infantry Battalion.
These troops are operating not only in General Santos City but also across several municipalities in surrounding provinces — including Maitum, Kiamba, and Maasim in Sarangani Province, as well as Lebak in Sultan Kudarat Province. The breadth of this deployment underscores the fact that the earthquake's destructive reach extends well beyond the city's boundaries, affecting both coastal and inland communities in the region.
The 6ID has also placed 77 personnel from 9 HADR teams on standby alert, ready for rapid deployment. When combined with the 10ID's standby forces, the Philippine Army's total mobilized manpower — whether actively deployed or on alert — surpasses 850 troops committed to this single disaster response operation.
Military Vehicles Support Ground Operations Across Affected Areas
The Philippine Army's response extends beyond personnel. Colonel Dema-ala's statement listed a substantial motorized component currently supporting field operations. Vehicles already deployed in quake-hit areas include eight KM250 trucks, five KM450 trucks, two mobile patrol vehicles, and three motorcycles. Complementing these are an additional 56 military trucks and one patrol car from both the 6ID and 10ID that remain on standby status.
The KM250 and KM450 are military utility trucks routinely used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines for troop movement and logistics in both combat and humanitarian contexts. In a disaster setting, such vehicles are essential for ferrying relief supplies and personnel, evacuating displaced residents, and navigating through road networks that may have been damaged or obstructed by earthquake debris.
The total number of vehicles either in the field or on standby exceeds 70, highlighting the logistical scale of coordinating relief operations across multiple localities spread across different provincial jurisdictions.
Inter-Agency Coordination Guides Military Response
According to the Philippine Army's statement, military operations are being conducted in close coordination with national government agencies and local government units throughout the affected region. This type of layered coordination is standard procedure under the country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRM) framework, which positions local government units as the primary responders to disasters, with national agencies and the military operating in a support and augmentation capacity.
The involvement of multiple provincial and city jurisdictions — including the independent chartered city of General Santos, along with Sarangani Province and Sultan Kudarat Province, each with their own Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices — requires careful synchronization to avoid gaps or duplication in relief coverage.
The statement from Colonel Dema-ala did not specify the exact magnitude or the precise date of the triggering earthquake, nor did it identify by name the national government agencies participating in the joint response. However, the Army noted that ongoing aftershocks have continued to compound the damage and displacement already caused by the initial quake event.
525th Combat Engineer Battalion Documents Field Activities
Photographs accompanying the Philippine Army's official release were attributed to the 525th Combat Engineer Battalion (525CEBn). Combat engineers are a critical element of any disaster response because their training encompasses structural evaluation, debris clearing, demolition, and the construction of temporary access infrastructure — all of which are essential when operating in earthquake-damaged environments.
The visual documentation produced by the 525CEBn provides a measure of public accountability for the Army's field-level activities and supports the information dissemination role of the Office of the Chief Public Affairs under Colonel Dema-ala's leadership.
Army Sustains Heightened Alert as Aftershocks Persist
With aftershocks continuing to rattle the region, the Philippine Army has maintained an elevated operational posture across Mindanao. The combination of active HADR deployments and large standby forces positioned for immediate surge reflects the military's readiness for further deterioration of conditions or the identification of additional communities requiring assistance.
Taken together, the operation involves two full infantry divisions, multiple specialized battalions including combat engineers and emergency response units, more than 60 vehicles, and upwards of 850 soldiers either actively deployed or on standby. As Colonel Dema-ala's statement made clear, the Philippine Army is treating the Mindanao earthquake response as a major operational commitment — one that will remain active for as long as affected communities require military support.
Originally reported by: Philippine Army / breakingnewsnegor.com wire reports