Just outside of Cebu, Philippines, the road into Mananga, Talisay City feels ordinary at first. But as our vehicle moves closer, the signs of a community rebuilding begin to emerge — piles of lumber stacked beside homes, newly framed roofs rising next to older structures still being repaired, and neighbors working side by side.
Just months earlier, Cebu had endured a devastating sequence of disasters. On Sept. 30, 2025, a 6.9‑magnitude earthquake struck the province late at night, damaging homes and infrastructure across the region and affecting hundreds of thousands of people. Many families were displaced as buildings collapsed or became unsafe. Before communities could fully recover, Typhoon Tino swept through central Philippines in early November, bringing severe winds, flooding, and landslides that compounded the damage and forced people to evacuate once again.
It was my first visit to Cebu since the natural disasters occurred, and it didn’t take long to understand the resilience of the communities here. Like many disasters, those early days drew global attention. Images circulated around the world, aid organizations mobilized quickly, and communities worked urgently to meet immediate needs.
But recovery doesn’t follow the same timeline as the headlines.
