March 26, 2026
The enduring faith of Iligan City
By Thania Florendo
Before Typhoon Basyang (Penha) struck, Iligan City moved through quiet streets and familiar routines, a sense of steady security carrying its residents from day to day. Life unfolded with an unspoken assurance that, however simple or challenging, each day would pass as expected. The calm of that night, just before the sacred days of Ramadan, would soon be broken by rising waters.
For 55-year-old food vendor Farida Malik of Barangay Mahayahay, the memory remains vivid.
On February 5 at around 10 p.m., she was preparing to sleep when her cousin called, warning her to stay alert as the storm approached. If she slept, she might wake up to rising waters and could end up washed at sea. It sounded like a joke to her because there was no strong wind, and the rain was light. The night felt calm, almost deceptively so.
Still, she got up, made herself a cup of coffee, and held on to the hope that nothing serious would happen. But the water in her neighborhood had already reached alert levels. Within 30 minutes, floodwaters entered their home. An hour later, it had risen high enough to force the family to the second floor.
Her son tried to salvage their belongings, but the deepening waters made it impossible. She urged him to stop.
“The water became stronger, and it kept rising. We moved to the second floor, and all I could think was that our lives are far more important than our belongings. I told my son that we can replace our belongings in the future, but not our lives. I cried because I didn’t know what would happen to us. We couldn’t do anything. We could only watch the rising water,” she said.
They watched helplessly as the flood rose higher. The water had become so deep that her grandchild described it as the sea. They considered moving to the roof, but some elderly relatives could not manage it. By 3 a.m., the water slowly began to recede, and by morning, they were rescued.
Farida sustained a foot injury, yet pushed herself to seek help. Still in wet clothes, she went the next day for a free medical check-up at Robinsons Iligan, holding on to whatever support she could find.
For Farida and many in the Muslim community, the hardship runs deeper. The typhoon struck just days before Ramadan—a time usually marked by prayer, fasting, and reflection. This year, however, uncertainty replaced routine. Some families lost their homes and sources of livelihood, leaving them uncertain how or where they would find food to sustain both body and spirit.
“Ramadan was approaching, yet we had no livelihood or source of income,” she said. “We were fasting, but we had nothing—we could only wait for help.”
Despite losing almost everything, her faith remains intact that she, her family, and the people of Iligan will rise again. She leaves a powerful message of resilience and hope.
“We don’t hold our fate or our lives, so while we’re here, we must keep living and doing good deeds. We have to move forward because our children need to study. After this calamity, I know we will find our way back to work,” she added.
“It’s really hard. This is the first time this has happened in my entire life. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but I am thankful that I survived and that help came for us.”
In the days that followed, the city found a quiet reminder that compassion knows no boundaries. From March 21 to 22, volunteers from Tzu Chi Philippines extended assistance to 7,648 affected families, providing grocery gift checks to help them buy essential needs. The relief distribution was held at Lanao Chung Hua School, a venue that became a safe and accessible space for families to receive aid. Assistance was given without distinction—no questions of religion, no conditions—only a shared recognition of suffering and a commitment to respond with compassion.
The effort was strengthened through partnerships with local institutions, including Iligan Medical Center College. Dean Rogel Sudaria, program head of the College of Arts and Sciences, helped validate beneficiaries who were not on the original list, ensuring no one was left behind. He also led 41 students into the field to improve service efficiency.
“As a social worker, volunteerism is already a part of us,” Sudaria said. “I brought my students so they can experience the real life of social work. We are shock absorbers—we absorb the experiences, the pain, the struggles of people. The profession is a calling,” he said.
For Susie Co, a Tzu Chi volunteer and former teacher at Lanao Chung Hua School, the mission carried a deeply personal meaning. She first came to Iligan in 1988, where she studied and later taught. Returning under these circumstances was not what she had hoped for, but her presence reflected a quiet continuity—proof that even as time moves forward, connections endure.
Tzu Chi’s presence stands as a reminder that faith and compassion transcend boundaries. It does not ask where one comes from, what one believes in, or how one prays. It simply arrives—when it is needed most. And in the quiet that follows the storm, what remains is not only the effort to rebuild, but the enduring faith of Iligan City, showing that humanity speaks the same language in moments of need.
Tzu Chi Philippines volunteers arrive at Lanao Chung Hua School in the early morning of March 21 to conduct relief distribution.
Beneficiaries gather in long lines as they wait patiently for their turn to be catered and handed out distribution stubs.
Social work students from Iligan Medical Center College work fast and efficiently at the registration.
Residents from various barangays in Iligan City come together, standing united as they begin to rise after the calamity.
Beneficiary Farida Malik of Barangay Mahayahay poses with her gift checks, noting that beyond the aid, she values the organized and respectful relief distribution process.
Coin cans were passed among beneficiaries, inspiring them to give back and continue the cycle of compassion.
In a moment of shared faith, a Muslim beneficiary joins a prayer led by Tzu Chi Philippines, reflecting unity beyond religion.
Tzu Chi Malaysia volunteer Sonny Cheah takes part in prayer, serving with compassion and dedication throughout the relief distribution.
Dean Rogel Sudaria of Iligan Medical Center College leads by example as he returns to fieldwork alongside his social work students.
Tzu Chi volunteer Susie Co (right) assists beneficiaries by accommodating their inquiries during the relief operations.
Tzu Chi volunteer Judy Lao (right) speaks with Glendy Sy-Cabilan, Chinese supervisor from Lanao Chung Hua School, discussing the efforts and hospitality extended during the relief distribution.
Tzu Chi volunteer Johnny Kwok engages with Muslim beneficiaries, responding to their inquiries regarding the relief assistance.
Tzu Chi volunteers gift sample grocery products to LGU personnel after the event.
The combined efforts of Tzu Chi Philippines volunteers, Lanao Chung Hua School faculty, Iligan Medical Center College students, and LGU helped reach 7,648 families in Iligan City.