STUDENTS of San Carlos Seminary College in Cebu City are using a GPS-based needs assessment survey to help relief operations in northern Cebu following the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit Bogo City and neighboring towns last Sept. 30, 2025.
Rev. Fr. Charles Luis Jayme, head of the Archdiocese of Cebu Rehabilitation and Relief Unit, along with trained seminarians, use smartphones to assist survivors in completing the survey questionnaire, recording their data and geo-tagging their locations to facilitate the immediate delivery of relief goods and support throughout the day and even into the night.
The GPS-based needs assessment survey aims to address the fundamental needs of survivors including livelihood, food, shelter, health, and clothing.
The survey has been able to identify the quake victims’ most pressing needs, marking the initial step toward providing effective relief.
“We are not focusing on people along highways, but on survivors that are in secluded places,” said Jayme in Cebuano.
Jayme bared plans to deploy a water filtering machine that can provide one million liters of water, as he noted the mounting plastic pollution in quake-stricken areas due to the hundreds of thousands of bottled water donations.
He said they will also supply mineral water containers and hygiene kits, including sanitary napkins.
This initiative aligns with the seminary’s goal of promoting Water Sanitation and Hygiene, which focuses on clean water supply, safe disposal of human waste, and good hygiene practices.
The organization’s relief operations included psychological first aid for survivors by providing emotional support from professional psychologists who joined the Cebu Archdiocese’s deployment teams.
Jayme said some survivors experienced emotional breakdowns during assessments.
He said all victims, regardless of religion, will receive relief support.
Pastoral work
Exposing seminarians to areas struck by disaster equips them with knowledge and skills to effectively manage pastoral work when they become priests in the future, explained Jayme.
“They know where they’ll be going and what to do whenever disasters come. In a way, this is also teaching them,” said Jayme.
He added that if seminarians remain disconnected from disasters, they will lack a sense of direction when assigned to their respective parishes.
The San Carlos Seminary has created a timeline to help their seminarians understand disaster situations, covering everything from day one (through relief operations) to rehabilitation and sustainable efforts.
The seminarians are also given training on pre and post disaster preparations for better disaster preparedness.
Jayme recalled valuable lessons learned during the devastating Typhoon Yolanda in 2013.
He said the rehabilitation phase provided economic opportunities for the affected communities. At that time, they relied on paper surveys, which were both costly and time consuming.
San Carlos Seminary College has posted transparency reports on its official Facebook page, providing a detailed breakdown of the donations received for their relief operations. / Bryce Ken Abellon, USJ-R intern.