Overview of a devastating night in Cebu
The Philippines faced a harrowing night on September 30 as a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook Cebu, triggering a landslide in Sitio Hacienda Filomena, Barangay Binabag, Bogo City. The disaster ripped through homes and lives, leaving families grieving and many residents with little more than photographs and memories of loved ones. Among the casualties were eight children, part of a toll that reminded the nation of the fragility of daily life when the earth itself unsettles.
A father’s loss and a community’s grief
Aryeel Caylan, a construction worker from Liloan, lost more than a home in the disaster—he lost his two-year-old son, Prince Kyle. “Mag-nursery na unta siya sunod tuig…. Mag three years old na unta na siya sunod buwan,” he recalled, conveying a future that was abruptly erased. Prince Kyle, among the youngest victims, stood as a symbol of the families shattered by the quake and landslide that crushed three houses and the lives inside them.
A day of wake and resilience
In the days after the event, the families kept vigil at a chapel, sleeping in tents as they faced the reality of displaced lives. The community’s resolve was evident even as they mourned, trying to hold on to what little remained of their homes and routines. The tragedy unfolded in a way that underscored the vulnerability of families living in hillside communities where landslides can be sudden and deadly.
The mass burial and a final farewell
On October 8, a mass burial was held at the New Corazon Cemetery in Barangay Sambag, Bogo City. The ceremony brought together overwhelmed relatives as caskets were lowered into the graves. Achorus of sobs and prayers echoed as families bid farewell to sons and daughters who carried bright futures, now reduced to memories and photographs.
Personal losses within a larger disaster
During the mass, Caylan faced the hardest moment of all: the burial of his son. He stood beside the grave as soil covered the casket, a stark reminder of the life that was abruptly taken away. “Kami na lang duha sa akong bata ang nabilin. Dili ko magdahum nga ingun ana ang mahitabo,” he told reporters, reflecting on the suddenness of his losses—a mother, a partner, and now a son who is gone, leaving him to carry on as a single parent.
After the quake: rebuilding lives and honoring the fallen
The earthquake and landslide did not just extinguish lives; they also tested the communities that endured. Many families have chosen to honor the memory of their loved ones by sharing stories, seeking support, and planning for a future that honors the past. For Caylan, the mother of Prince Kyle is gone, but the father remains with a child who now bears the memory of both mother and son in his small life.
Looking ahead with compassion
As rescue and relief efforts continue in other affected areas, the people of Cebu also confront the long process of healing. The tragedy has highlighted the need for safer housing, better emergency response, and ongoing support for families who have lost everything—homes, loved ones, and the sense of security that once defined their daily life.
For Caylan, the immediate future is about holding on to the memory of Prince Kyle while continuing to care for the surviving child. In the wake of such loss, the community’s solidarity becomes a beacon of hope, reminding everyone that while the earth may shake and take, human resilience often endures well beyond the moment of tragedy.
