CAAP Reopens General Santos Airport For Limited Operations After 7.8 Quake

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) opened General Santos Airport for "limited operations" after a powerful magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Sarangani, with the Department of Transportation ordering the airport to stay open for government, military, and humanitarian flights.

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Transportation Secretary Giovanni Lopez issued the directive at 2 p.m. of Monday, June 8, saying the General Santos Airport must be kept open for disaster response and relief efforts and for employees assisting in relief operations.

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Lopez also told the CAAP to ensure the integrity of the airport’s structures to guarantee the safety of passengers and airport personnel, and he said all airport and CAAP personnel must be accounted for.

Earlier, CAAP temporarily suspended operations at General Santos Airport to assess air navigation facilities, equipment, and operational capabilities, after a 7:37 a.m. Monday earthquake damaged infrastructure and disrupted utility services.

A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) was in effect from June 8 at 3:00 PM until June 11 at 6:00 PM, and passengers were advised to coordinate with their respective airlines regarding the status of their flights.

CAAP had temporarily suspended operations at General Santos Airport (GES) on June 8, 2026, after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao, and it issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) effective from 08:45 to 15:00 local time while it assessed air navigation facilities, equipment, and operations.

Philippine Airlines cancelled three round-trip services connecting General Santos with Manila and Cebu, and Cebu Pacific cancelled six services linking General Santos with Manila, Cebu, and Iloilo, as both airlines offered affected passengers free rebooking or rerouting, travel credits, or full refunds.

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The Manila Times said CAAP reported 17 flights from three local airlines were affected, and it listed multiple specific flight numbers including Cebu Pacific 5J998 (General Santos-Manila) and Philippine Airlines PR453 (Manila-General Santos).

In a separate advisory, Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol told the Philippine News Agency that "People should stay away from damaged buildings, and check for cracks," and he said residents should follow local disaster risk reduction and management offices.

The Azərtac report said Phivolcs warned that the first tsunami waves will arrive between 7:37 a.m and 9:37 a.m and may continue for hours, and Bacolcol said "Remain evacuated unless we lift the tsunami warning," with tsunami warnings lifted two hours after the expected latest tsunami arrival time.

The earthquake response centered on keeping airport operations safe and intact, with CAAP and the Department of Transportation repeatedly tying flight resumption to assessments of air navigation facilities, equipment, and operational capabilities.

“Airport closes after strong quake in Philippines: CAAP Baku, June 8, AZERTAC People in areas affected by the magnitude 7”

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GMA Network reported that Lopez said the DOTr would extend assistance to airport employees affected by the earthquake, and he emphasized that the primordial concern was safety of passengers and airport personnel.

The Azərtac report said the earthquake was generated by the Cotabato Trench and that Phivolcs advised coastal areas in Sarangani, Davao Occidental, Tawi-Tawi, Sulu, Basilan, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Sultan Kudarat, and South Cotabato to evacuate immediately to higher ground or move farther inland.

It also said people in affected areas should expect aftershocks and stay evacuated until the tsunami warning is lifted, with Phivolcs stating the first tsunami waves would arrive between 7:37 a.m and 9:37 a.m.

Meanwhile, GMA Network said data from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) showed the death toll in the Mindanao earthquake has reached 35 as of Monday evening, underscoring the scale of the disaster that the airport’s limited operations were meant to support.