For Rosalinda Taledo, 74, of Ibo, Sitio Angkay in Toledo City, Cebu, the community she has known all her life looked very different after the typhoon. Floodwaters rose to frightening levels, leaving families to deal with damaged homes, lost livelihoods, and uncertainty about their most basic needs.
Rosalinda's family lost their chickens, while banana plants they depended on were destroyed. The damage affected not only what they owned, but also some of the resources they relied on for food and income.
“We were terrified because the water was very high. Our chickens died, and all the banana plants were destroyed.”
Help Arrived When It Was Needed
Rosalinda was among the families reached through the Philippines Typhoon Kalmaegi Emergency Response 2025, supported by MyCARE Malaysia and implemented by Philippine Humanitarian Care (PHILCARE) Inc.
She did not initially expect humanitarian assistance to reach their community. The arrival of the response team was therefore a meaningful moment for her family and other households affected by the flooding.
“At first, we didn't know that MyCARE would come to give aid. We are very grateful that you came here.”
What Mattered Most
Each family supported through the response received a relief package containing 10 kilograms of rice, canned tuna, noodles, milk, potable water, and hygiene items. For Rosalinda, two items stood above the rest: rice and water.
“We are so happy because we received water, rice, and groceries. Rice and water are truly the most important.”
Her words reflected the financial hardship her household was experiencing. Before receiving the assistance, even maintaining an adequate supply of basic food was difficult.
Rosalinda explained that her family normally could not afford many of the goods included in the relief package. Their limited resources were usually enough for only noodles and a few basic necessities.
“We normally cannot afford these kinds of goods. What we usually manage to buy are just noodles and a few basic necessities.”
She also told the PHILCARE team that her household had not received other relief assistance before this response. For her, receiving essential food after the disaster provided immediate and practical support.
“I am very happy. Now I finally have rice to cook.”
Reaching Families After the Typhoon
Rosalinda's household was among 100 families assisted in Toledo City. Together with distributions in Consolacion and Danao, the emergency response reached 270 typhoon-affected families across Cebu Province.
The intervention provided food, potable water, and hygiene essentials to households affected by the disaster, with particular attention to vulnerable families facing immediate needs after the typhoon.
Small Essentials, Immediate Relief
Rosalinda's story captures the value of timely humanitarian response in simple terms. After floodwaters damaged livelihoods and placed additional pressure on already limited household resources, something as fundamental as having rice to cook and safe water available brought immediate relief.
The assistance could not undo the damage caused by the typhoon or replace the chickens and banana plants the family lost. But at a difficult moment, it helped provide essential food, water, and hygiene supplies while affected families began to recover.
For Rosalinda and her family, the response was a reminder that timely assistance can make a meaningful difference after a disaster - especially when support reaches households with immediate needs.