Country: Philippines Source: Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation Please refer to the attached file. In the aftermath of Typhoon Kalmaegi, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (BTCF) provided essential aid to more than 6,500 families across 6 municipalities in Cebu, offering medical care, basic necessities, construction materials, and monetary funds as needed. November 2025 was a hard time for the people of Cebu Island, Philippines. Battered by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that displaced over 26,000 families and back-to-back typhoons, the island was severely devastated. Torrential rains and wind speeds up to 205km/h from Typhoon Kalmaegi (locally known as Typhoon Tino) over several days caused widespread flooding. The destruction was further exacerbated by over a month’s worth of rainfall and by a lack of well implemented flood control projects. The level of destruction was so overwhelming that the inhabitants didn’t know where or how to even start reconstruction. As soon as flights and basic communication infrastructure were restored, Tzu Chi Philippines deployed assessment teams to visit the disaster areas. By mid-November, initial surveys were conducted, and plans were laid out. Upon their return to Tzu Chi headquarters in Manila City, BTCF worked with local Chinese business communities, chambers of commerce, government agencies, and local contacts in Cebu to plan relief operations. The first phase comprised a total of nine distributions. Around 400 Tzu Chi volunteers split into seven teams, each one tasked with providing aid to a municipality in Cebu in the form of essential care packages. One of the largest distribution venues included the establishment of a temporary medical clinic. The largest operation took place in Talisay, where 172 volunteers distributed care packages to 2,853 households. This was followed by Mandaue, with 64 volunteers serving 1,447 households, and Consolacion, where 68 volunteers aided 1,327 families. The remaining teams covered Compostela (40 volunteers assisting 771 households), Danao (31 volunteers assisting 334 households), and Liloan, where 24 volunteers supported 59 households. A consistent beneficiary and supporter of Tzu Chi programs, the Principal of a local school offered their sports field for use as a base of operations during the relief interventions. Through the medical clinic, more than 300 people had an opportunity to consult with doctors and pharmacists to receive check-ups, diagnoses, and refills of necessary medicine. The sports field also served as a landing and sorting center for the volunteers to organize, pack, and arrange relief packages. These essential care kits consisted of a 25 kg sack of rice, blankets, slippers, clothing, straw mats that can be used as makeshift beds and seats, and basic personal items necessary for the first few months of reconstruction. A total of 5,774 households that experienced partial damage received the packages, while another 1,017 that suffered complete destruction of their homes received both the relief packages and monetary support; depending on family size, these households received cash assistance ranging from PHP 10,000 to PHP 20,000. Once the initial recovery phase was over, the second phase of reconstruction efforts commenced, focusing on 151 households in the Compostela and Consolacion municipalities of Cebu Island. The households were chosen for their legal land ownership and location outside high-risk flood zones, in order to ensure that the residential construction efforts will be sustainable. On 31 January 2026, a little less than 3 months after the typhoon, volunteers from Tzu Chi Philippines turned over funds and construction materials to the households. They also helped the farmers acquire crop seedlings from the Mandaue City Agriculture Bureau. Agriculture is a vital source of food and income for the Cebuanos, so the seedlings are a key to accelerate the long-term recovery. On top of the construction materials and assistance in putting up the homes, Tzu Chi Philippines also provided financial aid to the households, ranging from Php 20,000 to Php 30,000, depending on the number of people in the household. From a barrage of natural disasters, hope rises again. The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation has provided consistent and relevant support efforts to the island - starting from medical care and basic necessities, and continuing with financial assistance and building materials. The volunteers were able to show the affected residents of Cebu Island that the typhoons will not deny them a chance at a good life.