The Filipino tourist missing in the catastrophic flash flood in Nepal has been identified as Dr. Juan Carlos ‘Caloy’ Manalo, a physician who joined a pilgrimage tour in Tibet, China.
Manalo last contacted his family on August 25 at 1:21 p.m. Philippine time (11:06 a.m. Nepal time).
His final known location was the Immigration Office at Gyirong county, in Tibet, the border window between China and Nepal.
A viral CCTV video circulating online showed the immigration building completely ashened after the monster flood, underscoring the scale of destruction. Since then, he has been unaccounted for.
Isha group caught in disaster
Dr. Manalo was traveling with a spiritual group called the Isha Foundation on their Kailash Mansarovar Yatra – a pilgrimage tour to Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, sacred to Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains.
In an X post and Facebook Live broadcast, Isha founder Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev confirmed that 80 members of the group were inside the Gyirong immigration building minutes before it was swept away.
He said the group’s leader messaged at 9:05 a.m. local time that they had arrived at immigration. The flood struck at 9:14 a.m.
‘This is a terrible and extraordinary event,’ Sadhguru said, breaking down as he disclosed that the group comprised 34 men and 46 women from the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Singapore, Spain, and the Philippines.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi and the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Kathmandu are in active coordination with local authorities and stand ready to extend assistance to affected Filipinos.
‘They are awaiting confirmation from Nepali authorities on a Filipino national who is reported missing,’ the DFA noted.
Disaster at the border
The flash flood, triggered by heavy rains and glacial runoff, swept through parts of Nepal’s border region on August 26, leaving widespread devastation.
Local authorities reported that several tourists and residents were unaccounted for, while rescue teams struggled to reach remote areas due to damaged roads and unstable terrain.
Gyirong, where Manalo was last seen, is a key crossing point between Nepal and Tibet.
The area is frequented by trekkers, pilgrims, and tour groups heading to Mount Kailash.
The viral footage of the immigration office reduced to ash and rubble has become a stark symbol of the tragedy.
Family’s appeal
Chiara Manalo posted an appeal on social media asking for prayers and assistance in reaching agencies and Nepali authorities to help in search operations.
The family expressed distress over the disaster and urged anyone with information to come forward.
They released contact numbers for coordination: Jose Rodrigo Manalo (0917 302 3077), Dinah Marie Manalo (0917 514 3465), and Chiara Manalo (0917 791 7849).
‘We are asking for prayers and assistance in connecting with agencies or Nepal authorities to help with search operations,’ Chiara wrote.
The family continues to coordinate with contacts abroad, hoping for updates as international rescue teams work to account for missing tourists and locals.