For 52-year-old Lydia Yama, a former UAE resident of two decades, the arrival of humanitarian aid from the Emirates felt like a bridge spanning thousands of miles. As one of the many residents in the coastal town of Glan, Sarangani, struggling to rebuild after the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Mindanao, Yama was overwhelmed to see UAE Aid representatives on the ground. Having lived in Al Ain for years, she greeted the team with fluent Arabic, expressing her deep gratitude for being the first foreign organization to reach her community during this desperate time.

The disaster, which claimed nearly 80 lives and left tens of thousands of families displaced, has left survivors like Yama living in constant fear. Recalling the terrifying morning the quake struck, she shared how she could only pray as her home shook violently around her. When she arrived at the distribution center to collect supplies, she was moved to tears upon spotting the familiar UAE flag, a symbol of the kindness she experienced firsthand during her time working in the Emirates. Led by the UAE Ambassador to the Philippines, Mohamed Obaid Salem Al Qatam Alzaabi, the initiative continues to provide essential food parcels and clean water to thousands of families, offering a much-needed lifeline to those reeling from the catastrophe.