Tzu Chi harnesses volunteers for quake relief mission

When typhoon “Tino” struck Cebu on 4 November, powerful winds and floods tore through communities, claiming lives, washing away homes, and leaving survivors with little more than the clothes they escaped in. Knowing that help could not wait, 388 Tzu Chi volunteers from across the Philippines mobilized to bring compassion, relief goods and a sense of hope to 6,791 affected families from 28 to 29 November. They listened, comforted and provided assistance through gift certificates and cash cards — tangible help that eased immediate worries.

The relief mission covered Talisay, Mandaue, Consolacion, Compostela, Danao and Liloan towns. Tzu Chi volunteers from Leyte, Manila, Pampanga, Davao and Zamboanga traveled long hours to join the Cebu team.

In Talisay, Zamboanga volunteer Dhing Abdulaup and three other doctors held a mini-medical mission. They examined and advised 301 adults and children, including giving away basic medicines.

At the Opao Gymnasium in Mandaue, volunteer Leonida Gaerlan helped distribute sacks of rice and groceries. For many families, it was the first 25-kilogram bag of rice they had received since the typhoon.

“Seeing their smiles was overwhelming,” Gaerlan said.

Logistics were led by Cebu volunteer Mulric Sarmiento, who coordinated closely with barangay officials and validated beneficiary lists to ensure that those most affected received aid.

Not every volunteer could physically reach Cebu — but that did not stop them from contributing. On 29 and 30 November, 98 volunteers gathered at Metro Market! Market! in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, to collect donations for Cebu. Armed with collection boxes, flyers and QR code stands, they encouraged passersby to help the typhoon survivors.

Their efforts awakened generosity among strangers. Shoppers of all ages and nationalities donated whatever they could — coins, bills, prayers, messages of strength. Some had personal reasons: A donor recovering from past surgery sponsored by Tzu Chi gave in gratitude.

A couple from Papua New Guinea donated after hearing their son in Cebu describe the destruction.

Among the foreign volunteers gathering donations were Huang Ya Hong, who learned to speak Filipino so she could speak directly to shoppers.

Malaysian volunteer Anderson Leong said he felt humbled to help even “in a small way.”

Third-year university student Paulo Aquino was also there to help.

Whether distributing aid under the Cebu sun or holding collection boxes in a bustling mall, what united these volunteers was their sincere intention to ease suffering. They offered not only rice, groceries, medicine, or cash — but also presence, empathy and encouragement.

Where “Tino” left devastation, Tzu Chi volunteers planted seeds of recovery. Where families felt alone, they found people ready to stand by them. Where despair lingered, compassion fought back.

More than relief goods, Tzu Chi gave survivors something priceless: the reminder that even in the gravest hardship, their fellow humans have not forgotten them. As Tzu Chi founder Dharma Master Cheng Yen reminds, “Let many come forth to do a good deed. Together… teamwork moves and inspires.”