The Philippine Air Force (PAF) conducted a series of humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations on June 11, 2026, deploying multiple aircraft to deliver relief supplies and perform medical evacuations following a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Southern Mindanao, according to a statement released by the Air Force Public Affairs Office and authorized by Colonel Ma Christina O. Basco PAF (GSC), Chief of the Air Force Public Affairs Office.
The operations, launched from Colonel Jesus Villamor Air Base (CJVAB) in Pasay City, involved the airlift of over 1,000 ChariTimba relief packs provided by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO), delivery of food and water supplies to multiple provinces, and at least one medical evacuation mission transporting residents requiring urgent care from Sarangani Province to Cotabato.
C-295 and C-130 Aircraft Carry Over 1,000 PCSO Relief Packs to General Santos
A total of 1,000 ChariTimba relief packs — pail-type containers filled with assorted essential relief items intended for affected families — were airlifted to General Santos City from CJVAB, according to the PAF statement released on June 12, 2026.
A C-295 aircraft transported the first batch of 270 ChariTimba packs, while a C-130 Hercules aircraft carried the remaining 730 packs in a separate flight. The relief items were sourced from the PCSO as part of ongoing national relief efforts in response to the earthquake disaster.
General Santos City, located in the Soccsksargen region of Mindanao, serves as a key logistics hub for relief operations across Southern Mindanao and surrounding areas affected by the earthquake.
Black Hawk Helicopters Deliver DSWD Food Packs and Water to Three Provinces
In a separate mission, an S-70i Black Hawk helicopter assigned to the PAF's 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing airlifted 480 family food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) along with 450 packs of bottled water sourced from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
These supplies were delivered to affected communities across three provinces: Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, and Sorsogon. The distribution covered a wide geographic range, reflecting the broad reach of the earthquake's impact and the scale of displaced and affected populations requiring immediate relief assistance.
The 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing is one of the PAF's primary rotary-wing units, routinely deployed for HADR missions, search and rescue operations, and troop airlift across the country.
Second Black Hawk Evacuates Sarangani Residents to Cotabato for Urgent Medical Care
A second S-70i Black Hawk helicopter conducted a medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) mission on the same day, transporting residents from Sarangani Province to Cotabato for urgent medical attention, the PAF statement said.
MEDEVAC operations are a critical component of HADR missions in the immediate aftermath of major earthquakes, when local health facilities may be overwhelmed, damaged, or otherwise unable to accommodate the surge in patients with serious injuries. The PAF did not specify the number of individuals evacuated in this mission or the nature of their medical conditions.
Sarangani Province lies along the southern coast of Mindanao and is among the areas closest to seismic zones frequently associated with high-magnitude earthquake activity in the region.
PAF Coordinates with PCSO, DSWD, and OCD in Multi-Agency Relief Effort
The PAF's HADR operations on June 11, 2026, were conducted in close coordination with multiple national government agencies, including the PCSO, DSWD, and OCD, as well as civilian volunteers, according to the official statement.
This multi-agency coordination model is standard procedure in large-scale disaster response operations in the Philippines, where the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) serves as the central coordinating body. The PAF provides critical airlift capacity that enables faster delivery of relief to remote, mountainous, or otherwise inaccessible communities that cannot be reached quickly by road.
The use of both fixed-wing aircraft — the C-295 and C-130 — and rotary-wing assets such as the Black Hawk helicopters allowed the PAF to address different operational requirements, with fixed-wing planes handling bulk cargo to major airports and helicopters providing direct delivery to smaller communities and performing MEDEVAC functions.
Magnitude 7.8 Earthquake Triggers Coordinated National Response
The earthquake, recorded at magnitude 7.8, struck Southern Mindanao and triggered an immediate national disaster response. Earthquakes of this magnitude are capable of causing severe structural damage, landslides, and widespread displacement of communities, particularly in areas with older infrastructure or settlements located near fault lines or in mountainous terrain.
Southern Mindanao, which encompasses regions such as Davao Region, Soccsksargen, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), is a seismically active part of the Philippines due to its proximity to the Philippine Fault System and other geological fault lines.
As of the PAF statement dated June 12, 2026, operations were described as ongoing, indicating that relief efforts had not yet concluded and that additional missions were expected in the days following the earthquake.
PAF Reaffirms Rapid Response and Airlift Capability in Disaster Operations
In its official statement, the PAF emphasized that the June 11 operations underscore the Air Force's "continued commitment to rapid response, lifesaving airlift capability, and coordinated disaster relief efforts in support of national humanitarian operations."
"These operations underscore the Philippine Air Force's continued commitment to rapid response, lifesaving airlift capability, and coordinated disaster relief efforts in support of national humanitarian operations." — Philippine Air Force Public Affairs Office, June 12, 2026
The PAF's capacity to mobilize both fixed-wing and rotary-wing assets within hours of a major disaster has been a central feature of Philippine disaster response operations in recent years. The C-130 Hercules and C-295, along with the S-70i Black Hawk fleet, represent the backbone of the PAF's strategic and tactical airlift capability.
Additional Missions Expected as Disaster Operations Remain Active
The PAF indicated that HADR operations were continuing as of June 12, 2026, with no indication that relief efforts were nearing completion. The scale of the earthquake — a magnitude 7.8 event affecting multiple provinces across Southern Mindanao — suggests that sustained relief operations involving multiple government agencies and military assets will be required over the coming days and weeks.
Authorities have not yet released a comprehensive casualty or damage assessment figure as of the time of this report. The PAF statement focused specifically on the airlift and MEDEVAC missions conducted on June 11, 2026, without detailing the broader scope of damage or the total number of individuals affected by the earthquake.
As conditions on the ground are assessed further and more affected communities are identified, the scope of HADR operations is expected to expand. The PAF, in coordination with the NDRRMC, DSWD, OCD, and other national agencies, is expected to continue deploying assets as needed to ensure that relief reaches the most vulnerable populations in the earthquake-affected regions of Mindanao.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of the Philippine Air Force Public Affairs Office