FROM: HFCF DISASTER/EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE DESK :
Fire displaces 18 families in Davao city
At least 18 families were displaced after a fire hit a residential area in Barangay Salaysay, Davao City on Thursday, August 7, 2025. The fire broke out around 4pm.
Residents tried to douse the flames with water, but the fire spread quickly. Authorities said 14 house were affected.
Some residents affected resorted to selling scrap metal from the debris to earn money. The families displaced are staying temporarily at the barangay gymnasium in tents.
The fire reportedly started when electricity was restored in the afternoon.
The Davao City Social Welfare and Development Office has begun profiling the residents affected while the City Health Office deployed personnel to the evacuation center for medical checkup. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire.
All of the 14 houses which were destroyed by this fire were occupied by our brethren at Salaysay Church of Christ, who are with the Manobo tribal community group.
To provide emergency relief and food items, HFCF initially sent funds to help distribute emergency food relief bags to the 14 families who were displaced by this disaster. Our local HFCF disaster coordinator, Pastor Herson Amolo, gave the following report:
We brought food packs at Salaysay, Marilog District, Davao City last Friday. It was raining quite hard, and I witnessed how difficult their situation is. But thank God they are positive even in that difficult situation. They are thanking God through HFCF, the only group left who is still helping them.
The barangay govt. is giving them 5k each if I am right, nothing more. No other organization is helping them. Our brotherhood is giving foodstuff and little cash which is used for food mostly.
We asked for additional information regarding the finances of the brethren there, and Bro. Amolo replied
Greetings! Bros. Jerry Serrano and Eliezer Tawan, both church workers in the areas of Marilog District, brought the individual house estimates of the needed hardware construction materials/supplies for the 14 households. They total around P873,771 (around $15,000 at current exchange rate of P58/$1).
They said it is a big amount to be raised by the HFCF alone. They are just blessed that HFCF through you is working hard to help them in their situation. They said whatever and how much HFCF can extend to them will be very much appreciated. They told me they are not expecting anything from the government; instead, they have bee masked by the local governments to move out their tents from the barangay gymnasium. No house has been rebuilt. Considering their economic status: most if not all are vegetable farmers – they are really dependent on outside help. They are waiting for the city governments help, but so far none has come. They belong to the Manobo tribe.
UPDATE: Sis. Ellie and I were able to visit Salaysay last February during our 2026 mission trip. The brethren were overjoyed and were greatly encouraged by our visit. We saw the actual site where the fire destroyed the houses: only ash and debris were left.
We have submitted a request for a $15,000 grant from IDES (International Disaster and Emergency Services, Illinois) which will help us fully fund this project. Please pray with us that IDES will once more be our major partner for this disaster assistance ministry.
- HFCF needs to raise counterpart funds which will be used for operational expenses (transportation, skilled labor, honorarium) which IDES does not provide for. We have allocated $1,500 from the HFCF Disaster Assistance funds but need an additional $1,500 from HFCF donors and partner churches. Please do consider helping us meet this goal so we can help rebuild the fourteen (14) houses of the Salaysay brethren, starting with the house of Bro. Eleazar Tawan (shown in the above picture).
To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy in the mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified. Isaiah 61:3