Pamulaan Alumni Bring Relief to 60 Blaan Families After the Mindanao Earthquake

Pamulaan Staff • November 13, 2026

Students writing at desks in a classroom during a test

When education takes root, it grows into compassion, solidarity, and service - reaching communities even in their most difficult moments.

On June 8, 2026, a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook several parts of Mindanao, Philippines. At the main campus of the Pamulaan Center for Indigenous Peoples Education, we are grateful to share that our students, staff, and the wider community remained generally safe. Although we experienced several brief tremors, the earthquake's epicenter was relatively far from our school.

While we gave thanks for the safety of our community, our thoughts also turned to fellow Indigenous communities that experienced the impact of the earthquake more directly, particularly those in remote areas where access to immediate assistance can be challenging.

Makeshift shelter amid storm debris, with a blue tarp and scattered ruins in a tropical area

In response, Indigenous youth graduates of Pamulaan took the initiative to extend support to 60 Blaan families in Sitio Highlanders, Barangay Batuganding, Sarangani municipality, Davao Occidental, Philippines. At the time, this remote Indigenous community had not yet been reached by government and private relief responders. The alumni's initiative became a meaningful expression of care, bringing much-needed assistance and reminding the families that they were not alone.

The initiative was facilitated by Ms. Vina Fiel Lucin and Mr. Rodel Sueb, both Batch 4 alumni of Pamulaan who reside near the affected community. Through their efforts, food packs and other basic necessities were mobilized and delivered directly to the Blaan families to help address their immediate needs in the aftermath of the earthquake.

People handing out bags of supplies at an outdoor relief site with a truck and tables of food under blue tarps.

In moments when uncertainty and hardship surround communities, even simple acts of kindness can make a meaningful difference. For the families in Sitio Highlanders, this gesture was not only about receiving relief goods; it was also about experiencing the care and solidarity of people who chose to stand with them.

For Pamulaan, this act of service reflects the values we strive to nurture among our students and graduates: compassion, responsibility, and a commitment to stand with fellow Indigenous communities, especially during times of crisis. It is also a testament to the enduring bonds formed through education and the power of Indigenous solidarity. When our graduates bring what they have learned back to their communities, education becomes more than an individual achievement - it becomes a shared commitment to the well-being of others.

This is not the first time the Pamulaan Alumni Association has mobilized to support Indigenous communities in times of crisis. Throughout the years, our graduates have extended assistance during challenging periods, including at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, typhoons, and other disasters affecting Indigenous communities, particularly in places where our alumni live and maintain close ties. These continuing efforts demonstrate how the values cultivated at Pamulaan live on through graduates who remain connected to their roots and responsive to the needs of their people.

Group posing on a dirt path in a lush tropical garden with palm trees and banana plants.

We are deeply grateful to HOPE International Development Agency Japan and its generous supporters for their continued trust, solidarity, and commitment to Indigenous education in the Philippines. While this relief effort was the alumni’s own initiative, it grew from the education your support makes possible. Your partnership does more than open doors to educational opportunities; it helps nurture Indigenous young people who grow into leaders, advocates, and compassionate members of their communities. The impact of your generosity reaches far beyond our campus, finding its way into the lives of families and communities through the service of our graduates.

At Pamulaan, we believe that the true fruit of education is seen not only in the dreams our students fulfill, but also in the hope they bring to others. The seeds planted through education continue to grow in the communities our graduates return to, in the lives they touch, and in every act of solidarity that reminds us of our shared humanity.

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