Isla Pula, one of the coastal and riverside communities completely devastated by flash floods and storm surge during Typhoon Tino.
Government Mobilizes Relief as Damage Spreads Across the Visayas
Local government reports estimate that over 180,000 families across the region have been displaced by the combined impacts of the earthquake and typhoons, with more than 200 fatalities and over 100 people still missing. Cebu’s provincial government declared a state of calamity, activating emergency funds and coordinating with national agencies to lead search-and-rescue operations, distribute relief goods, and assess damaged infrastructure.
A temporary price freeze on essential goods was imposed, and the Social Security System (SSS) opened a calamity loan program to help affected workers. Neighboring provinces dispatched additional supplies, but ongoing aftershocks, collapsed roadways, and the scale of destruction left coverage gaps, particularly in areas farthest from main towns.
“Relief efforts are slow as the local government units and personnel themselves are also victims,” explained Gopal Krishna Das of ISKCON Cebu, emphasizing the strain on already-limited local resources.
ISKCON Cebu Responds with Compassion and Urgency
As official systems struggled to reach every affected community, ISKCON Cebu’s Food for Life team stepped in to support the worst-hit areas. Having already mobilized after the September earthquake, devotees expanded their service as the typhoons struck.
“In our immediate area, thousands of families lost their homes, property, and livelihoods,” Gopal Krishna said. Heavy rains gathered behind the mountain range and suddenly surged downstream, destroying dams, reservoirs, and flood-control structures. “We still have no water supply as the dam and pipes are being repaired,” he added.
A Focus on Water as Supply Systems Collapse
With reliable water almost entirely cut off, the Food for Life team shifted its relief strategy to prioritize safe drinking water. “We are working daily to purchase bottled water, offer it, and distribute it as prasad,” Gopal Krishna explained. For many families, bottled water is now used not only for drinking but also for cooking and basic sanitation, making it an urgent and costly necessity.
The GoFundMe campaign notes that water remains one of the most critical needs: “The dam and main water pipelines are still not repaired… water hasn’t been restored in the majority of towns.”
Monterey School Inc., led by director Raquel Del Monte, together with the admin team, teachers, staff, PTA officers, and student officers with prasadam packages for distribution.
The school’s student officers placing “offered” water into relief packs for families.
Residents of Isla Pula receiving the water before prasadam distribution.
Shelter, Food, and Support Through Local Partnerships
To assist broader community efforts, Gopal Krishna’s family opened their private school, Monterey School, Inc., as an evacuation center, sheltering displaced families during the storm and keeping the space open for days afterward. The school’s Parent-Teacher Association coordinated food and essential supplies, while ISKCON Cebu volunteers focused on daily water distribution. This cooperation has allowed the team to reach several barangays that remain difficult to access due to landslides and damaged roads.
Planning for Long-Term Relief and Rebuilding
As their service expands, ISKCON Cebu is preparing for long-term recovery. With homes destroyed, access roads unstable, monsoon rains ongoing, and water infrastructure heavily damaged, devotees anticipate months of continued relief. Their fundraising page highlights additional needs ahead: cooking supplies, hygiene kits, infant care items, medicines, sleeping mats, and basic tools for rebuilding.
The community is also seeking broader international assistance with water filtration systems, transport logistics, and support for disaster-resilient infrastructure to help stabilize their relief efforts beyond the emergency phase.Leaders Gopal Krishna Das and Jayasri Devi Dasi in Talisay City, one of the hardest-hit communities.Kula Pradipa Das and his wife, Jahnavi Jivana Dasi, in center, with some of the members of the ISKCON Cebu community before the disaster.The couple stands with the ISKCON Cebu devotees, supporting ongoing Food for Life relief outreach.
Global Devotees Rally Through a New Fundraising Initiative
To facilitate international support, Kenneth “Kula” Nacario Lee (Kula Pradipa Das) and his wife, Jahnavi Harrison Lee (Jahnavi Jivana Dasi), launched the GoFundMe campaign “Support ISKCON Cebu After Natural Disasters.” As the organizers, they explain that every contribution is transferred directly to ISKCON Cebu’s Food for Life program, helping bypass the limitations that Philippine NGOs face when receiving overseas donations.
They highlight the responders’ dedication on the ground, citing that “Over 2,200 hot, plant-based, nutrient-dense bowls of prasadam have already been distributed,” despite aftershocks, inaccessible areas, and damaged infrastructure.
Their appeal also places this crisis in a broader environmental context, sharing that “With global warming intensifying, these weather disturbances are becoming more frequent and more destructive.”
A Call for Support and Solidarity
Through earthquake destruction, typhoon flooding, and widespread displacement, the Cebu devotees have continued to serve with steady commitment and compassion. Their efforts stand as a refuge for families facing one of the most challenging disaster seasons in recent memory.
To support their effort, readers are encouraged to visit the ISKCON Cebu fundraising page.
For ongoing updates, photographs, and information on how to assist further, please visit the ISKCON Cebu Facebook page. Your support can help sustain prasadam distribution, restore access to water, and bring hope to communities still struggling to rebuild.
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