MANILA, Philippines — Former beauty queen Shamcey Supsup said her family in General Santos City and students of a school owned by her family are safe after a powerful earthquake struck parts of Mindanao.
In a series of Instagram Stories, Supsup thanked those who reached out to check on her loved ones following the earthquake that jolted several areas in Mindanao on June 8.
“Thank you so much to everyone who checked on my family in GenSan. They are all safe and okay,” the 2011 Miss Universe third runner-up wrote.
Supsup also shared that students at Envirogreen School of Technology were unharmed because classes had not yet begun in the affected rooms when the earthquake struck.
“I'm also grateful to share that the students at Envirogreen are safe, as they hadn't gone up to their rooms yet when the earthquake happened,” she said.
The architect and beauty queen posted photos showing damage inside the school, including a collapsed classroom ceiling and debris scattered across the floor.
“The ceiling of our school collapsed. Good thing nobody was inside yet when it happened,” she wrote in one of the posts.
Supsup ended her message by offering prayers for those affected by the disaster.
“Praying for all the families, friends, and communities affected by the earthquake. Please stay safe, everyone,” she said.
The school is operated by Envirogreen Village Educational Foundation Inc., whose owner and president is Supsup's mother, Marcelina Supsup. The institution is based in General Santos City, one of the areas that felt the effects of the strong quake.
Authorities continue to assess the damage caused by the earthquake across Mindanao. As of posting, the death toll had risen to 37, while rescue and relief operations remained underway in affected communities.
