December 2, 2025
Unbroken Spirits: Stories of Strength After the Storm
By Thania Florendo
When Typhoon Tino (International name: Kalmaegi) struck Cebu on November 4, it tore through lives as much as it did roofs and walls. Families fled in fear, neighborhoods disappeared beneath floodwaters, and the uncertainty clouded the future of those who survived. Yet in the wake of destruction, stories of courage and care emerged—like those of Lorina Caño and Jacinto Abata, whose shattered lives found comfort and hope through the compassion of the Tzu Chi Foundation.
A mother’s silent strength
For Lorina, 39, of Sitio Pagatpat Uno, Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City, the typhoon meant losing the only home her family had known. Now staying at the Sisters of Mary Girlstown gymnasium with other displaced families, she clings to hope as they try to rebuild from nothing.
On the morning Typhoon Tino struck, floodwaters swallowed homes within minutes. Lorina and her husband focused on saving their two children as they rushed to the barangay’s evacuation center, leaving all their belongings behind.
Her mother’s home, which stood right beside hers, was also completely washed away. Despite her own loss, Lorina’s concern remained with her mother when volunteers from Tzu Chi Foundation conducted an ocular visit on November 7 and 8.
“Almost everyone is affected, so I understand that not everyone will receive help. What matters most to me is that my mother gets support. It’s okay if I don’t,” she said humbly.
The disaster revived painful memories of Typhoon Odette in December 2021. “It feels like we were deeply traumatized. This time, it was worse because the floodwater was huge. It seemed like everyone was affected, and we could do nothing,” she recalled.
Before being transferred to their current shelter, her family initially took cover in the barangay evacuation center. The crowded shared space where families stayed became not only a shelter but also a place of comfort for one another.
A future rebuilt through faith
Despite losing everything, Lorina refuses to give in to despair.
“We did not lose hope. Even though our house is gone, there is still hope.”
During Tzu Chi Foundation’s relief distribution on November 29, Lorina broke down in tears after learning that both she and her mother would each receive groceries, a 25-kg sack of rice, and financial assistance.
“I never expected that we would both be helped. I thought only one of us (either my mother or me) would be helped,” she cried.
After receiving financial aid from Tzu Chi, Lorina said the assistance would help them begin pursuing their dream of starting a small business. Despite limited resources, she and her husband hope to support their two children by putting up a street food venture using a pushcart or bicycle.
Lorina shared that her husband earns about ₱350 a day as a laborer, an amount she described as barely enough to cover their daily needs. While financial strain has at times tested their relationship, she said they remain united in working toward a better future for their children.
With quiet strength, Lorina offered simple but powerful words to fellow survivors.
“Please do not lose hope. There is still hope. Stay strong.”
A survivor of two storms
For Jacinto, 28, of Purok Mahayahay, Barangay Biasong, Talisay City, Typhoon Tino was not the first storm to change his life. In November 2013, he survived the devastating Typhoon Yolanda in Ormoc City, Leyte.
“Typhoon Yolanda destroyed so much in Ormoc City, the whole area was submerged,” he recalled. Jacinto and his family were among those assisted by Tzu Chi Foundation during that time, receiving relief goods and financial support in Tacloban.
Now living in Cebu with his wife and two children, Jacinto faced destruction once again when Typhoon Tino completely damaged their home. As a security guard on duty during the storm, he was consumed by thoughts of fear for his family’s safety.
“My first thought was for my family,” he said. He rushed them to an evacuation center, where they stayed, with nothing left to return to.
“It was a huge help to us, our house was destroyed. Even our belongings were gone,” Jacinto shared, grateful for the financial aid, rice, and groceries provided by Tzu Chi Foundation.
With the support he received, Jacinto hopes to rebuild his home. “I hope Tzu Chi Foundation can help many more, especially those of us affected by the typhoon. I am very happy because Tzu Chi Foundation is always there, ready to help,” he said with a shy smile.
Compassion that continues
For Lorina and Jacinto, recovery will not come overnight. Despite everything that happened, their will to rise remains unbroken.
In the aftermath of Typhoon Tino, their homes may have been swept away, yet hope endures— reborn through acts of kindness, resilience, and unwavering compassion that light the way forward.
You can send your donations through bank deposit to:
METROBANK, Del Monte Branch
Account Name: Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Philippines
Account Number: 163-3-16307190-9
BDO
Account Name: Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi Foundation, Philippines
Account Number: 011-9-7800180-0
Please send a copy of deposit slips or bank transaction confirmations via email at donations@tzuchi.org.ph or through Viber/Line/Wechat +639672110940
DSWD Solicitation Permit No.: DSWD-SB-PSP-S-2025-000072
A Tzu Chi volunteer addresses beneficiaries from barangays Dumlog, Biasong, and Lawaan inside the Sisters of Mary Girlstown gymnasium in Talisay City during the relief operation.
On November 29, residents queued early to receive relief from the Tzu Chi Foundation. Students from Sisters of Mary (in yellow and blue) assisted the residents
With practical advice and encouragement, Tzu Chi volunteer Judy Lao guides residents on using their financial assistance to start anew.
Tzu Chi volunteers from different parts of the country performed a sign language rendition to promote unity and lift the spirits of displaced residents.
Taking part in the performance, residents felt a sense of upliftment, united by their shared experience of Typhoon Tino.
Marlyn Rosagaran, a resident of Barangay Dumlog became emotional upon learning that her family would receive financial assistance.
Lorina Caño offers a heartfelt prayer of thanks upon learning that she and her mother would receive assistance.
Jacinto Abata, 28, from Barangay Biasong shared how Tzu Chi helped him after Typhoon Yolanda in Ormoc City, Leyte. He now resides in Cebu, where he was affected by Typhoon Tino.
Senior citizens receive grocery items with smiles on their faces. They were given priority in line and were assisted by volunteers.
Jacinto Abata smiles while collecting grocery items such as milk, oil, soy, salt, coffee, sugar, and other necessities.
Lorina Caño shows her strength and smiles with a thumbs-up while carrying a 25-kg sack of rice.
Student volunteers from Sisters of Mary and Talisay City College assist senior citizens by carrying sacks of rice.
Student volunteers from Sisters of Mary and Talisay City College assist senior citizens by carrying sacks of rice.
Jacinto Abata poses with a thumbs-up sign, acknowledging the support he received from Tzu Chi during two separate destructive typhoons.
Residents from barangays Biasong, Dumlog, and Lawaan pose outside Sisters of Mary Girlstown as they wait to have their 25-kg rice sacks loaded.
Team Talisay Tzu Chi volunteers happily pose for a photo after successfully accommodating 2,853 families in the city.