MATTEO GUIDICELLI RECALLS BAYANIHAN SPIRIT IN CEBU QUAKE RELIEF, SHARES NEW CHAPTER AS ANCHOR

MATTEO GUIDICELLI WITNESSED THE BAYANIHAN SPIRIT FIRSTHAND when he visited his mother's hometown of Bogo, Cebu, to extend help to residents affected by the recent 6.9-magnitude earthquake.

- NATHALIE TOMADA

"Cebu is recovering now, they’re in the rebuilding phase," he shared with The Philippine STAR in a one-on-one interview. "We were able to move after a few days, we were able to collect a good amount of funds in one day and then converted it into goods with Landers.

"Actually, in one day, we were able to raise 1.5 (million) and converted it to goods. We also added tents, mga trapal, banig, hygiene kits, food, etcetera."

He remembered how the trip to the northern part of Cebu province, which normally takes under two hours, stretched to nearly seven hours due to heavy traffic as relief groups made their way to the affected area.

"Sobrang traffic, seven hours going there, 10 hours pabalik," Matteo said.

Nevertheless, the experience reminded him of the Filipino bayanihan and spirit of compassion.

"But, you know, this is where you see the heart of the Filipino, the heart of the Cebuano. Everybody wants to come out to help. Super nice! Yung ano lang, of course, they have parang post-traumatic stress from shaking all the time, yung tremors once in a while hanggang ngayon meron (as we speak). So that's what, you know, is stressing them kumbaga, the aftershocks all the time."

According to reports, the quake's epicenter was located 19 kilometers northeast off Bogo City's coast, leaving more than 12,000 recorded aftershocks (as of Oct. 19) and causing widespread damage and loss of lives.

After Cebu, a magnitude 7.4 quake struck offshore from Davao Oriental, even resulting in tsunami warnings.