ADRA Responds to Flash Floods in South Philippines

Torrential rains on September 17 triggered sudden flash floods that inundated multiple barangays in Valencia City, displacing thousands of families, damaging homes and livelihoods, and disrupting essential services. The city, also home to Mountain View College, a well-known Seventh-day Adventist institution, is among the hardest-hit areas of the disaster.

According to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), the disaster affected at least 2,075 families, or 5,856 individuals, across several barangays, including Bagontaas, Barobo, Colonia, Lumbo, Mailag, Poblacion, Sugod, and Tugaya. Poblacion was reported as the hardest hit, with 954 families displaced, followed by Sugod with more than 600 affected households. Families were evacuated to schools and community gyms, but conditions remain overcrowded with shortages of food, bedding, potable water, and hygiene supplies.

The floods caused 424 houses to be damaged or destroyed, left four confirmed dead, and seven people missing. Mayor Amie Galario ordered the suspension of classes and mobilized city departments for relief and medical assistance. Nearby local government units in Maramag, Don Carlos, and Malaybalay also extended support.

In the wake of the disaster, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Philippines, working with the Adventist Church in Central Mindanao (CMM) and Adventist Community Services (ACS) volunteers, swiftly deployed emergency response teams. A rapid needs assessment identified food, potable water, and bedding as urgent needs.

To address these, ADRA implemented its Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) program, giving families the flexibility to purchase what they need most—whether food, medicine, hygiene supplies, or other essentials. This approach not only restores dignity and choice but also strengthens the local economy by circulating resources within affected communities.

CMM reinforced this initiative by contributing $2,500 in counterpart funding, ensuring faster delivery of aid to flood-stricken families.

Pastor Roger Caderma, president of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division of Seventh-day Adventists, extended the Church’s sympathies and prayers. “Our hearts are with the families in Bukidnon who have lost loved ones and those struggling to recover. Through ADRA and our volunteers, we are committed to bringing immediate relief while also supporting long-term recovery,” he said.

While humanitarian efforts continue, ADRA emphasized the challenges ahead, including water contamination, overcrowded shelters, limited hygiene kits, and risks of disease outbreaks. The agency remains committed to transparent, timely, and survivor-centered assistance, working with local partners and communities to restore lives with compassion and hope.

As families in Bukidnon begin the long journey of rebuilding, the Adventist Church continues to call for united compassion, urging members and partners to keep supporting efforts that bring hope and healing to those devastated by the floods.

Visit adra.ph, to know more about their community projects and initiatives.

The original article was published on the Southern Asia-Pacific Division news site.