Bloomingdales in Action: Rising with the Floods

Last July 2025, continuous southwest monsoon rains (habagat), worsened by Typhoon Crising, dam water releases, and the high tide, brought flooding to parts of Bulacan. True to our commitment of service, the Rotary Club of Guiguinto Bloomingdales, under the leadership of President Leonora T. Malibiran, quickly mobilized relief operations for affected families in Guiguinto, Bulacan. We turned tough days into chances for compassion, teamwork, and helping others.

On July 23, despite the ongoing rains, several RC Guiguinto Bloomingdales members gathered to repack rice and other essentials donated by our club. Some of our members have been affected by the flooding or unable to leave their homes, but those who could come worked with urgency. When help is needed, Rotary acts.

By July 24, more members were present at the Golden Minds Academy in Brgy. Ilang-Ilang, Guiguinto, distributing relief packs to families who have not received any prior aid. Alongside our Rotaractors from RAC Guiguinto United Youth, they also served hot soup, providing nourishment and comfort. After that, instead of stopping there, they went to St. Agatha Hotel to join the local government’s relief efforts, helping repack goods for wider distribution. Working shoulder to shoulder with government volunteers showed how much more we can achieve when united.

On July 25, Bloomingdales members donated clothes, noodles, and other essentials to support the combined efforts of the Rotary Clubs in Guiguinto (Area 11, Zone 2). Together, we prepared for the district-wide relief drive at Holy Angels of St. Rita’s Academy in Brgy. Sta. Rita, Guiguinto, Bulacan. By July 26, our club joined hands with Rotarians from Areas 7 to 15 of Zone 2 under District 3770 Governor Alex Santos to extend relief not only in Guiguinto but also in the towns of  Bulakan and Plaridel.

The sight was unforgettable. A sea of red End Polio shirts formed human chains to pass sacks of rice. Rotarians lifted and carried supplies with energy, even stepping into floodwaters whether in boots or in crocs, without hesitation. This was Rotary at its best: expanding our reach, increasing our impact, serving as people of action, and uniting for good.

Beyond the organized operations, many RC Guiguinto Bloomingdales members also served through their own networks. One gave out hot soup in Barangay Tabe, others repacked relief goods again with the LGU, another visited evacuation centers and handed out meals to tricycle drivers and riders. They did this with their own church groups or individually. Service flowed everywhere, proving that when disaster strikes, our response comes from both the collective and the individual heart.

Those few days reminded me that in Rotary, service does not pause for weather or circumstance. Together, we showed that when the rains, tides, and waters rise, Rotarians rise higher, ready to serve.

Written by: Cheryll Cruz Unson