In times of calamity, a hot meal is more than just sustenance; it is a warm embrace, a signal of safety, and a reminder that help has arrived.

On September 30, 2025, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck offshore Northern Cebu, leaving thousands of families in evacuation centers, bracing against aftershocks and heavy rain. Responding to the call for augmentation in Region 7, the DSWD Field Office 10 Mobile Kitchen (MK) team embarked on a grueling but fulfilling 45-day mission, serving thousands of meals to families displaced by earthquakes, typhoons, and flash floods across the province of Cebu.

The operation was a feat of discipline and heart. Every day began at 3:30 AM, with the team preparing breakfast long before the sun rose. The menu was designed to provide comfort, featuring hearty dishes like Pork Humba, Chicken Afritada, Bam-i, and Tinola. For the families in evacuation centers, these meals offered a taste of home amidst the chaos.

The team, divided into six batches, faced the very same elements that displaced the families they were serving. Upon arriving on October 9, the first team, led by Arnel Cabanao, set up operations at the Bogo Tent City. They worked amid heavy rainfall and nerve-wracking aftershocks, serving 450 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

“You plan to fail if you fail to plan,” Cabanao reflected. With strict organization, careful staffing, and a shared understanding that the mission would not be a “walk in the park,” the team completed their 11-day run with high spirits and zero accidents.

But as November approached, nature tested them further. Impending Typhoon Tino forced the MK team into a series of difficult relocations. Led by Carlo Nicoh Lequin, the operation was moved from the vulnerable Tent City to the Bogo Complex Gymnasium, and later to the Talamban Elementary School Evacuation Center in Cebu City.

Each time they settled, another threat emerged—flood risks, worsening rains, rising water levels. Still, the team pressed on, serving more than 800 to 1,000 individuals.

“It was my first time facing multiple calamities in a single deployment,” Lequin shared. “We were the only team deployed three times; from Bogo to Talamban, then to Talisay. It was scary and exhausting, but incredibly rewarding.”

Despite exhaustion, unity remained their strength. Ronel Lee, driver and cook, described the bond formed in the kitchen: “The most valuable part was the team uniting to ensure our service was organized, hoping to bring happiness to the people despite the calamities they faced.”

Their success was not theirs alone. The FO 10 team worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Field Office 7, Field Office CALABARZON, TUPAD workers, and LGU personnel. In a heartwarming display of bayanihan, even IDPs volunteered—peeling vegetables, assisting in preparations, and offering words of gratitude.

“For me,” shared Julius M. Rosal, cook, “the best moment is when we see them smiling and saying, ‘Thank you for the food.’ Those simple words fuel us to keep going.”

When the mission finally concluded on November 22, the group returned to Northern Mindanao carrying more than just the Mobile Kitchen. They brought back lessons in adaptability, teamwork, and the profound meaning of public service.

The DSWD Field Office 10 Mobile Kitchen’s journey to Cebu stands as a proud chapter in the agency’s history. It became more than a relief operation—it became a symbol of compassion, discipline, and commitment.

Every meal, every relocation, and every challenge met reflected a singular mission:
To ensure no family faces disaster alone.