On The Up: Rotorua man’s fundraiser helps Philippines family rebuild after earthquake and typhoon

Nick Prosser has been raising money to help his partner’s family rebuild their home after a September earthquake in Cebu, Philippines. Photo / Supplied

The walls of Geraldine Dabalos’ family home cracked and collapsed in the night.

A 6.9-magnitude quake struck off the coast of the central Philippines on September 30, wrecking roads, buildings and knocking out power.

Dabalos grew up in a small Cebu province of about 60 people. Her mother, siblings and young nieces and nephews all lived there.

The family home was “completely destroyed”, Dabalos’ partner, Rotorua’s Nick Prosser, said. It was deemed unsafe to live in, its structure unstable, and the family moved into makeshift tents outside.

“My partner’s mum was trapped in her room when the quake hit ... the children had to break down the door to save her,” he said.

Prosser decided to help rebuild their home from afar.

Alongside a friend, he organised a raffle fundraiser, selling about 200 tickets and raising more than $2000.

Prosser said he went “door to door” across Rotorua, telling locals what had happened in Cebu.

It was “a lot of work”, he said - but support grew.

Twenty-six Rotorua businesses donated vouchers and prizes, and many of Prosser’s colleagues at the new FreshChoice supermarket at Rotorua Central Mall also pitched in.

The raffle funds were sent to the Philippines, where a local builder began reconstructing the home, starting with a new toilet and shower.

Dabalos’ family worked alongside the builder, determined to finish the rebuild as quickly as possible. The builder had been working 10 to 12-hour days, Prosser said.

Nick Prosser is raising money to help his partner’s family rebuild their home after the September earthquake in Cebu, Philippines. Photo / Supplied

Progress halted last week when a typhoon swept through Cebu, forcing the family to evacuate to an uncle’s home several hours away.

Typhoon Kalmaegi, which hit on November 5, unleashed devastating flooding across Cebu. Unprecedented floodwaters swept through towns and cities, carrying away cars, riverside shanties and even massive shipping containers. The death toll surpassed 100.

Having survived the typhoon, the family returned to continue the rebuild.

Despite having never run a fundraiser before, Prosser said the experience opened his eyes to the power of community support.

It “took a lot out of me mentally”, he said, but seeing the difference it made to Dabalos’ family kept him going.

He said the family was “really happy and thankful”. Dabalos’ brother sent a message describing the support as “amazing” and said no one else in their province had received help like it.

Any new donations would help finish the family’s kitchen, as they still had to cook outside.

Prosser said further contributions would also go towards repairing the province’s damaged water-refilling station, which had left locals unable to work, as well as any remaining essential materials, food and clean water the family needed.

Donations can still be made through the Philippines Cebu Earthquake Givealittle page until the end of the year.

Annabel Reid is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, based in Rotorua. Originally from Hawke’s Bay, she has a Bachelor of Communications from the University of Canterbury.