Tragedy in Sitio Hacienda Filomena
The earthquake that struck Cebu on September 30 left a scar across the island, especially in Sitio Hacienda Filomena in Barangay Binabag, Bogo City. A magnitude 6.9 tremor triggered a landslide that crushed homes and claimed many lives in a matter of minutes. Among the victims were eight children, its youngest a two-year-old boy named Prince Kyle, whose father, Aryeel Caylan, describes the moment as a life-altering turn from father to survivor.
The Human Cost of the Ground Shaking
Family after family faced unspeakable loss as the earth moved beneath them. In the wake of the disaster, ashes and memories lingered where a neighborhood once stood. For Caylan, the loss was personal and brutal: Prince Kyle would have started nursery next year and would have turned three the following month. The dreams he held for his child’s future were suddenly reduced to photographs and quiet rooms where laughter once lived.
In total, eleven people died in Sitio Hacienda Filomena, including several children. The landslide demolished three houses, trapping its occupants and ending lives in a single, devastating moment. The community’s grief was palpable as neighbors, authorities, and volunteers rallied to recover remains and provide support to those left behind.
From Wake to Mass Burial
In the days after the tragedy, families kept vigil at a chapel, choosing to sleep in tents and confront the loss together. The time spent in wake was a procession of prayers, shared stories, and the stark realization that life in Sitio Hacienda Filomena would be forever altered. On October 8, a mass burial was held at the New Corazon Cemetery in Barangay Sambag, marking a final farewell for the deceased.
As caskets were lowered into the ground, the community offered silent prayers. For Caylan, the burial was a moment of stark truth: the child he carried in his arms only days before is now wrapped in a shroud of soil, the last of the family’s immediate losses to be laid to rest.
A Father’s Quiet Resilience
Before the earthquake, Caylan worked as a construction worker in Liloan, traveling from Bogo to build a life for himself and Prince Kyle. He had recently faced another heartbreak with the passing of the child’s mother in July, leaving him to raise Prince as a single parent. In conversations with reporters, Caylan described how the day would always begin with Prince asking for a picture—a small ritual that now feels like a last glimpse of the life they shared before the disaster.
“It was just me and my son left. I didn’t expect this to happen,” Caylan told reporters, a sentiment that reflects the broader shock felt by many families in the region. Yet even in the face of such loss, there is a thread of resilience: a father who remains determined to tell Prince’s story, to honor his memory, and to keep moving forward for the other survivors who now share his burden.
Looking Ahead for the Community
As Bogo City rebuilds, the focus extends beyond physical reconstruction to the healing of its residents. Authorities and humanitarian groups are coordinating relief efforts, providing temporary shelters, stress counseling, and ongoing support for families who have lost homes and loved ones. The community’s response—together with national disaster agencies—will shape the path toward recovery, ensuring that the families most impacted by the Cebu earthquake are not forgotten.
For Caylan, the immediate future is defined by memory and responsibility. He carries Prince Kyle’s photograph, a symbol of a life cut short, and a reminder that the road to recovery for him and others will be long. Yet in the quiet moments after the burials, there is a shared vow to persevere, to tell Prince’s story, and to honor the fragile joy of every child who remains in the hearts of those who loved them.
