The Morente family, who live in Bogo City, is grateful for the relief packs which will sustain their essential needs while they recover from the destruction of their home following the strong earthquake
More than 9,000 Filipino families reeling from the devastation of a magnitude 6.9 earthquake and successive storms—Typhoon Tino (international name Kalmaegi) and Super Typhoon Uwan (international name Fung-wong)—have received much-needed assistance from One Meralco Foundation (OMF), the corporate social responsibility arm of the Manila Electric Company, together with its partners and donors.
Among the hardest hit was Bogo City in Cebu, the epicenter of the powerful earthquake. Residents like Jonas and Anecita Dauba Morente saw their home reduced to rubble, leaving one of their children injured and forcing the family to evacuate and sleep along the roadside.
For Jonas, the relief pack they received was more than just aid—it was immediate survival support. “Malaking tulong na ito sa aming pagkain, sa aming pang-araw-araw,” he said, expressing gratitude for the assistance that helped his family get through the most difficult days.
The relief packs and solar lamps from OMF reached Cebu with the help of the Philippine Navy.
Relief packs containing essential food supplies reached not only Bogo City but also several other affected areas across Cebu, including Daanbantayan, Tabogon, Tuburan, Bantayan, San Remigio, Toledo, and even the island barangay of Gibitngil in Medellin.
Delivering aid to remote communities required coordinated efforts on the ground and at sea, with the Philippine Navy transporting relief goods aboard BRP Dagupan City LS551. OMF’s response was further strengthened through partnerships with Alagang Kapatid Foundation, Inc., Passerelles Numeriques Philippines, Meralco PowerGen Corporation’s MThermal, and Meralco subsidiary MIESCOR, whose Cebu-based employees personally helped distribute relief packs and solar lamps to affected residents.
OMF also helped the students and families of its partner on the ground, nonprofit organization Passerelles Numeriques Philippines, which supports disadvantaged youth through education.
Through OMF’s Light Up Pilipinas program, solar lamps were provided to earthquake-hit communities as a sustainable source of lighting while power restoration was ongoing. These lamps allowed families to remain productive at night and enabled students from Passerelles Numeriques Philippines—an organization supporting disadvantaged youth—to continue their studies despite prolonged outages.
The solar lamps from OMF’s Light Up Pilipinas program illuminate their homes even in the aftermath of the destructive earthquake. This also helps students in ensuring their learning continues despite their circumstances.
To ensure efficient operations, OMF and MIESCOR established a repacking area at their office in Lapu-Lapu City, streamlining the preparation and dispatch of relief goods. MIESCOR Project Manager Julliegen Gastardo, who was among the first responders after the earthquake, said the experience reinforced the true meaning of service. “Leading the team on the ground reminded me that true service goes beyond our work—it’s true malasakit,” she shared.
Families in Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental, who experienced the brunt of Typhoon Tino, were recipients of aid from OMF.
Beyond Cebu, OMF’s disaster response extended to Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental, one of the municipalities most severely affected when Typhoon Tino swept through the province. With the help of OMF volunteers, families received relief packs and essential items to help them recover from the storm’s impact.
Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo received relief packs from OMF and the Meralco External and Government Affairs, to be distributed to hard-hit communities in the city.
The Foundation also mobilized aid for communities devastated by Super Typhoon Uwan. In Naga City, OMF and Meralco’s External and Government Affairs office donated relief packs for 500 families, coursed through Mayor Leni Robredo. In Aurora, OMF partnered with the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation to distribute relief packs to families in Dipaculao and Dinalungan, while fisherfolk in Dingalan received solar lamps to provide light during power outages and ensure safer night fishing at sea.
In Tanudan, Kalinga, where Uwan destroyed key bridges and cut off access to villages, residents formed a human bridge to make sure relief packs reached their communities. The effort was made possible through OMF’s partnership with the St. Mark the Evangelist Tanudan Catholic Mission and the XVD Alumni Association of Christ the King Mission Seminary, highlighting the power of collective action in times of crisis.
In the middle of heavy rains, OMF was able to distribute solar lamps to fisherfolk residents of Dingalan, Aurora who are among those severely hit by Super Typhoon Uwan.
Meanwhile, families in Gapan, Nueva Ecija; Baras, Rizal; and Calatagan, Batangas—areas battered by heavy rains and strong winds—also received relief assistance from OMF and MGEN. These extensive relief operations were supported by donations from Meralco employees, Meralco’s Networks Group, Vantage Energy, and LNG-to-power facilities LNGPH.
In Tanudan, Kalinga where bridges were destroyed due to Super Typhoon Uwan, bayanihan became the bridge for residents to receive OMF relief packs.
“Our fellow Filipinos are not alone in this crisis,” said OMF President Jeffrey O. Tarayao. “Through our shared efforts, we are not just delivering relief to help our kababayan, but also building on the incredible strength of communities rising together in the face of difficulty.”
As disasters continue to test the country’s resilience, One Meralco Foundation’s response underscores a simple but powerful message: in times of need, help is never far away.
