News

After receiving the first batch of donations for the victims of Typhoon Tino flooding in Lagtang, Talisay City, Cebu, a team from the Central Philippine Union Conference (CPUC) immediately distributed relief goods and tarpaulins for temporary shelter.

Over 200 families, who have taken refuge at evacuation sites, received these blessings on Nov. 7, 2025. According to the team, the supplies were "not much," but they addressed some of the evacuees' urgent needs.

"Aside from food and clothing, we also need mats and blankets. We only slept on cardboard boxes," said one evacuee.

Another evacuee added, "We don’t have water for the restroom either. I would have volunteered to help clean if we had." She went on to explain the challenges of having too few restrooms for the hundreds of people in the evacuation site, compounded by the lack of water.

On November 4, 2025, Typhoon Tino struck Central Philippines with strong winds and heavy rainfall, resulting in unprecedented flooding across many areas. The floods occurred as rivers and creeks swelled and overflowed, submerging numerous towns and cities throughout the region.

Houses and other properties, including cars, were swept away and piled atop one another. While many homeowners were able to evacuate by climbing onto rooftops or breaking through their own roofs, the most tragic situations occurred among those who never anticipated that their homes would be submerged.

One evacuee recounted, "The water rose so high that it reached past our roof. Our belongings and clothes were completely lost. Even our house was swept away by the current. We managed to save very few things."

Accompanying the CPUC team to the evacuation sites were two of the first donors, one of whom was from Canada. They wanted to witness firsthand the extent of the destruction and the circumstances faced by the evacuees.

Witnessing the struggles of the evacuees, Eva Hehr, one of the donors, expressed, "I hope God will provide ways for them to rebuild their lives soon."

Meanwhile, Blair Gines, the other donor who joined the team, said, "If only I had more, I could have given more." Her comment followed a heartbreaking scene she had witnessed at the evacuation sites.

During the distribution, a team from Adventist Hospital-Cebu also arrived to distribute additional relief goods and food packs. Other churches served in San Isidro, Talisay City.

Moreover, the CPUC team assured the evacuees that more assistance would be coming as generous supporters continued to contribute for those affected. In this distribution, CPUC would like to acknowledge the generosity of the first batch of donors: Eva Hehr, Blair Gines, Glenny Baril, and the Manila Adventist Medical Center Church.

Lyn Lucero ⎸ CPUC Communication Department