OPLAN H.A.T.S. (Help After The Storm) Bring Hope to Flood-Stricken Sta. Luisa Homes

Kit Coronel
2 days ago
3 min read

OPLAN H.A.T.S. (Help After The Storm): Knights of Rizal - District 30 Chapter, NY, USA & Blasert Force 568, Inc. Bring Hope to Flood-Stricken Sta. Luisa Homes, Brgy. Bacayan, Cebu City.

In the aftermath of Typhoon Tino, which ravaged parts of Cebu City on November 4, 2025, the community of Sta. Luisa Homes in Barangay Bacayan was left in a state of devastation. Houses were submerged, livelihoods were swept away, and countless families found themselves isolated—both physically and emotionally—by the sudden surge of floodwaters.

For days, residents waited, hoping for help to arrive.

It was into this silence that OPLAN H.A.T.S. (Help After The Storm) emerged—a humanitarian initiative led by Sir Flo Coronel of the Knights of Rizal – District 30 Chapter, New York, USA & Family Care Senior Services, LLC, in close collaboration with Blasert Force 568 Inc., a Cebu-based volunteer organization dedicated to civic action, disaster response, and community care, with support from the United Federation of Fil-Am Educators (UNIFFIED), New Jersey Chapter, and several friends who wish to remain anonymous.

On the ground, Founder & Chairman Kit Coronel led the relief mission, distributing food packs, bottled water, hygiene kits, and essential supplies to families who had lost nearly everything to the flooding. The moment he arrived, the reality of the devastation struck him profoundly.

“I was left speechless,” Kit shared, holding back tears as he surveyed the water-damaged homes and mud-soaked streets. But it was the residents’ words that hit the hardest:

“Walay niari bisan usa gikan sa gobyerno o pribado. Kamo ra.”(“No one from the government or private sector ever came. Only you did.”)

These words revealed the depth of the community’s abandonment and the immense emotional toll of surviving a disaster without help for days.

The heartbreak deepened as the Blasert Force team listened to the stories of the survivors. One resident recounted how her sister, consumed by fear and shock, became so traumatized that she refused to eat days after the storm subsided. Another shared the frightening ordeal of a young niece who contracted leptospirosis, a serious bacterial infection commonly caused by exposure to contaminated floodwater.

For Kit, these stories were not just tales of suffering—they were calls to action.“We cannot allow communities like this to feel forgotten,” he said.

Thanks to the generosity, leadership, and compassion of Sir Flo Coronel and the support of the Knights of Rizal – District 30 Chapter, NY, OPLAN H.A.T.S. ensured that the residents of Sta. Luisa Homes were not left behind. Their presence brought not only material relief but also emotional reassurance that someone cared—someone heard their cries.

The partnership with Blasert Force 568 Inc. made rapid mobilization possible, proving once again the value of community-driven humanitarian response. Volunteers worked tirelessly, navigating damaged roads and unstable terrain to deliver aid straight to the families who needed it most.

Despite the tragic stories and overwhelming destruction, hope made its way back into Sta. Luisa Homes that day—carried by simple acts of kindness, shared burdens, and the collective strength of people who refuse to turn a blind eye

As OPLAN H.A.T.S. continues to expand its disaster-response efforts, both organizations reaffirm their commitment to serve the vulnerable, uplift forgotten communities, and stand with survivors long after the storm has passed.

For the residents of Barangay Bacayan, the day relief finally arrived will be remembered not for what they received, but for what it meant:

They were no longer alone.