Typhoon Kalmaegi (known as “Tino” in Cebu) blew through the Philippines on November 2-3 going directly over the island of Cebu. It passed through the neighborhood where CSC Happy Homes is located by the Mananga River in Talisay. This is the housing project for Children’s Shelter of Cebu employees where PhaseTwoCebu has built 5 homes and is constructing 6 more to join the 63 homes from our earlier Habitat for Humanity project. The homes weathered the typhoon with no damage and everyone was safe. However, just two blocks away the Mananga River flooded and left hundreds of people without homes, or, if their homes were still standing, without any of their belongings which the water swept away. Some people died.
During the typhoon, residents of Happy Homes realized what was happening and jumped into action. During the night, 15 families with only the clothes on their backs were invited to take shelter in the multi-purpose building on the property. A couple of student nurses who live in Happy Homes started checking people for injuries. Others gathered dry clothes from their homes to give to the 15 families. Still others shared water they had collected in their rain barrels. And still others immediately became cooks, preparing food for those who had been welcomed in to safety.
In the days following, residents of Happy Homes (most of whom had lived previously in unstable housing similar to the 15 families) worked together to help their neighbors in a time of crisis. Donations from several sources (including PhaseTwoCebu and Children’s Shelter of Cebu) of food, medicine, bedding, and kitchen utensils and supplies were carefully packed and distributed to the families in need. PhaseTwoCebu is also donating materials to other people affected by the typhoon.
