The first thing that greets travelers heading into Bogo City are not just the trucks filled with aid, but the handwritten signs on cardboard: ‘We need help. Foods and water.’
They hang on gates, stand propped against debris, or are held up by weary residents, a sobering reminder of how desperate the situation remains in northern Cebu after the powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake.
Alongside these pleas is the steady movement of trucks –big and small–making their way toward ground zero.
Loaded with sacks of rice, bottled water, and relief packs, they represent more than just cargo. Each vehicle is a lifeline for families who have been displaced and now rely on outside assistance for survival.
On the main street of Bogo, a long queue formed for the 600 food packs being distributed by the First Community Cooperative (FICCO).
People waited patiently under the heat.
‘With the collaboration of everyone, we hope more will extend help sincerely from the heart, so recovery will be faster for our fellow Filipinos,’ FICCO’s general manager emphasized.
Capitol public information officer Ainjeliz Dela Torre Orong echoed the call.
‘We still need more to be given to the towns. We truly appreciate the volunteers, especially the youth. Their energy and commitment are invaluable right now,’ she said.
During his visit to Cebu, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. acknowledged the groundswell of volunteerism.
‘I noticed noong umiikot ako gaano karami ang volunteer na nandito,’ he said.
He noted how hospitals were filled with doctors, nurses, and medical technologists tirelessly attending to the injured, but emphasized that what struck him most were the ordinary citizens who chose to step in and help.
“Yung volunteers hindi nila kailangan pumunta dito, kagandahan lang ng loob nila kaya kailangan nating pasalamat natin silang lahat,” he stressed.
He added that the response once again demonstrated the Filipino spirit of Bayanihan.
Volunteers
Two days after the earthquake hit Bogo City and neighboring towns, the Capitol-led relief mission for northern Cebu continues, with students taking the lead.
According to the Capitol Command Center, a total of 5,590 volunteers have already registered.
On the first day of the relief mission, 2,090 volunteers joined. As of yesterday, October 2, 2025, at least 3,500 more signed up for tasks such as carrying goods, repacking relief packs, and delivering them to the Cebu Provincial warehouse for deployment.
The volunteers –composed mostly of students– are helping sustain the relief efforts for earthquake-affected communities in northern Cebu.
Among those who joined the bayanihan efforts are students from the University of the Philippines (UP) Cebu, University of the Visayas (UV), University of Cebu (UC), Southwestern University PHINMA (SWU), Asian College of Technology (ACT), Cebu Normal University (CNU), Cebu Technological University (CTU), University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF), Cebu Institute of Technology University (CITU), University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJR), University of San Carlos (USC), Cebu Doctor’s University (CDU), among others.
One of them is Frenches Luzette Ymbong, a first-year Nursing student from UV, who shared that she learned about the Capitol’s relief drive through a social media post by Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro.
She added that organizations in their school also helped spread the word, noting that many students from across Cebu responded to the call to volunteer at the Capitol.
‘That’s why me and my classmates decided to help out as well,’ said Ymbong.
She said it was a personal decision for students to help fellow Cebuanos affected by the earthquake.
Ymbong added that volunteering for those in need is her way of giving back to the community.
‘It is an overwhelming feeling kay kita baya tanan ang affected sa linog and now it’s so good to see that people from different universities are coming all together to help our fellow Cebuanos,’ she said.
The freshman Nursing student said that if she were already a trained responder, she would have gone to Bogo City, the epicenter of the 6.9-magnitude quake. However, she added that in the future, once she becomes a nurse, she is determined to serve the people with utmost care, especially in times of crisis.
For now, she said her way of helping is by volunteering in the relief efforts and giving in-kind donations. She even shared that she donated some of her own clothes.
‘I am very happy that at least, even if this seems so little, I am able to help out,’ she said.
On the other hand, Niño Lagapa, an Education student from Cebu Normal University (CNU), shared that after seeing social media posts about the devastation caused by the earthquake, he felt the need to step up and volunteer.
‘Masakitan ko magtan-aw ba. Mora’g akong konsensya ang mopatay nako kung unsay akong mabuhat,’ said Lagapa, recalling the struggles faced by residents in northern Cebu.
Lagapa’s group of fellow volunteers started as early as 9 A.M., and for him, volunteering is the best way he can help his fellow Cebuanos affected by the earthquake. He said it is also his way of supporting the victims.
Lagapa admitted that volunteering can be tiring, especially since the weather was hot yesterday morning, but he said it was fulfilling and that he and his classmates still enjoyed the experience.
‘Bisan init, we find joy in everything that we do,’ he said.
Lagapa said that their decision to volunteer was their own initiative, a way of helping however they could. He added that although they had asynchronous classes, they managed to balance it with joining the relief drive.
‘Although kita tanan ang naapektohan sa linog, pero naa pa may mga nanginahanglan. But, (we must) prioritize those who really need help g’yud,’ said Lagapa.
Student volunteers also found ways to protect themselves from the scorching sun while repacking goods.
Some used their own umbrellas, while others gathered under the shade of trees, forming small circles and taking their own spots just to get the work done.
‘Amoa nalang g’yud ‘ning initiative para naa mi malihok ba, lisod kaayo mo-ari mi pero wa mi mabuhat. That’s why nangita mi og space (diri),’ said Lagapa.
The bayanihan spirit at the Capitol began on October 1, a day after the earthquake struck northern Cebu.
Among the first volunteers was Kevin Garcia, who shared his belief that the youth are indeed the hope of the nation. He said that when young people unite, they bring fresh perspectives and play a vital role in strengthening communities and taking action in times of crisis.
For now, the Cebu Provincial Command Center has temporarily suspended the acceptance of volunteers due to the overwhelming number already assisting in the Capitol’s relief operations.
‘It is a good problem, but at the same time, we cannot risk safety,’ said Command Center head Restituto Arnaiz.
He, however, clarified that donations –whether in kind or in cash– are still being accepted.
He reported that at least two volunteers fainted at the Capitol Heritage Park yesterday due to heat exhaustion, which prompted the directive to temporarily pause volunteer intake.
The Command Center will announce once the acceptance of volunteers resumes.
Despite the pause, Arnaiz said the Capitol is deeply overwhelmed by the support of the Cebuanos, especially the students who readily extended their help in this time of crisis.
‘Nakita g’yud nato ang spirit of bayanihan,’ said Arnaiz.
Arnaiz likewise shared that since October 1, donations have continued to pour in –reaching nearly P1 million worth of in-kind goods and more than P100,000 in cash.
Arnaiz also assured that there are no problems with the delivery of relief goods, as sufficient trucks from both the Capitol and the private sector are available to transport aid to earthquake-affected areas in northern Cebu.