When the ground shook that night, Earl Jebriel and Gustav delos Reyes had no idea how far their volunteer training with A-PAD Philippines would take them.
“I thought I was having a nightmare,” Gustav recalled with a faint smile, adding that he was asleep in his boarding house when the tremor hit. “But my body just reacted—I stood up, ran outside, and helped my boardmates get out. We were on the second floor, and I knew it could collapse anytime.”
Across the city in Mandaue, Earl and his family were still awake when the power went out and the walls began to tremble.
“I’ve experienced earthquakes before. So I told my family to stay calm and find cover. After it stopped, we went out to check on our neighbors, just to make sure everyone was safe,” Earl said.
In the days that followed, those instincts turned into action.
Stepping Up as Responders
When the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) opened volunteer calls for relief and assessment teams, Gustav managed to sign up immediately. Earl, who missed the initial list, refused to go idle and instead joined the open volunteer drive at the Cebu Provincial Capitol, helping repack and load supplies bound for northern municipalities.
Both were later deployed with A-PAD PH’s rapid assessment team, working alongside the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), DOH Central Visayas CHD- Regional DRRMH Manager Shelbay Blanco, the UCLM-CARES and Peace Winds Japan.
The team surveyed the hardest-hit areas , such as Bogo, Medellin, Tabogon, and Daan Bantayan where they coordinated with municipalities, interviewed affected families, and collected data to inform relief priorities.
“When we reached the affected areas, I got emotional. There were homes completely destroyed. One of our classmates even lost an aunt in Tabogon. That’s when it really hit me how serious it was.” Gustav shared.
“It’s difficult to see your fellow Cebuanos like this,” Earl added softly. “Some had no shelter, no power, no water. It reminds you how important quick response and coordination are.”
Human Resource Network Volunteer: A Journey to Community Service
This Cebu Emergency Response became a wake-up call and their most intense experience as volunteers. According to them, they felt that this experience with A-PAD PH is “hardcore and legit.”
Their time on the ground reshaped their understanding of disaster response.
“You realize how fragile life is and how powerful it is when people work together. Even without much, everyone just wanted to help,” Earl said.
Earl and Gustav are both fourth-year BS Criminology students at UCLM. Their friendship began in senior high school, built on a shared desire to serve beyond the classroom. That bond deepened through their involvement in CARES (Community Awareness Relations and Extension Services), a university-based volunteer organization that mobilizes students to support communities during crises.
“Ever since senior high school, we’ve joined every organization that gave us the chance to help. Even during the pandemic, we were already volunteering. It just became part of who we are.” Gustav said
Their volunteer journey led them to A-PAD PH’s Human Resource Network Volunteer where they joined training on disaster preparedness, first aid, microenterprise resilience, and risk communication.
“Honestly, at first, we thought A-PAD was just another seminar, but when we got there, we realized how big it was. The experience and learnings were practical—things you could actually use in real situations,” Gustav said.
“Volunteering teaches you more than what books can,” Gustav said. “When you’re out there, you see real life. You understand why disaster management matters.”
After witnessing the devastation firsthand, both Earl and Gustav feel more equipped to serve their communities not just as volunteers, but as future leaders in times of crisis.
They believe their generation’s growing involvement in disaster response can strengthen preparedness, coordination, and compassion across the country.
As they near graduation, the two remain committed to service—whether as responders, advocates, or future law enforcers—driven by the hope that Cebu, and the rest of the nation, will continue to rise stronger after every disaster.
