Healing in Harmony: Christmas Relief Brings Hope to Brgy. La Paz, Bogo City

Kit Coronel
Dec 28, 2025
3 min read

28 Dec. 2025. Bogo City, Cebu — The air in Sitio Bahi carried a mix of dust and salt, remnants of shattered roads and nearby seas battered by storms. Beneath tarpaulin shelters and the shade of coconut palms, families gathered in anticipation, their faces etched with both fatigue and hope. For many, this was not just another Sunday — it was a day when compassion arrived in the form of food, gifts, and solidarity.

Barely three months ago, Bogo City was shaken to its core by a 6.9-magnitude earthquake that cracked highways and toppled homes. Recovery had barely begun when a succession of typhoons — Tino, Uwan, Verbena, and Wilma — swept through, leaving roofs torn, crops flattened, and spirits tested. Typhoon Tino, striking on November 4, was the fiercest of all, deepening the wounds of a community already struggling to stand.

On this day, however, Sitio Bahi became a venue of healing. Through the efforts of Blasert Force 568 Inc., led by its Founder and Chairman Achilles “Kit” Coronel, and in partnership with Healing in Harmony, a coalition of 24 New York–based organizations, relief goods and Christmas packages were distributed to residents.

The program opened with a Drug Abuse Prevention Education Lecture by Kit Coronel, conducted in collaboration with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA). His words carried weight, reminding the community that rebuilding meant not only repairing homes but also strengthening values and protecting the youth.

Children, their eyes wide with anticipation, lined up for “Joy Packages” — bundles of toys, school supplies, and snack items. The laughter that followed was a rare sound in recent weeks, echoing across the sitio like a hymn of resilience. “I thought Christmas would be sad this year,” whispered Jonas, a 10-year-old boy clutching a new notebook. “But now I can write again, and I have biscuits and milk to share with my sister.”

For the elderly, the relief packages meant more than sustenance. “We lost so much in the typhoon,” said Epitania Pestaño, a grandmother of five, her eyes glistening as she held a bag of rice and canned goods, spaghetti and hygiene kits. “This gift is not just food. It is a reminder that we are not forgotten.” Others echoed her gratitude. Purok Leader Dario Catadman described the event as “a lifeline for our people, proof that even in hardship, kindness finds its way here.”

The distribution was made possible by Healing in Harmony, whose network of organizations abroad has committed to supporting disaster-stricken communities in the Philippines. Their partnership with Blasert Force 568 Inc. reflects a powerful message: that compassion knows no borders.

As the sun dipped behind the hills, casting a golden glow over Sitio Bahi, residents carried their packages home — not just with food and gifts, but with renewed hope. The day’s gathering was more than a relief operation; it was a testament to the resilience of Bogo City and the enduring power of solidarity.

For a community battered by quakes and storms, this Christmas was not defined by loss, but by healing in harmony.