ManitobaA Winnipeg man says he is keeping close tabs on family and friends back home in the Philippines, after two deadly typhoons ravaged the country in a matter of days, because he knows firsthand how destructive and terrifying those storms can be. Super Typhoon Fung-Wong slammed ashore in the country on SundayDave Baxter · CBC News · Posted: Nov 10, 2025 8:58 PM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Winnipegger Ally Gonzalo says he is keeping close tabs on family and friends back home in the Philippines, after two deadly typhoons ravaged the country in a matter of days. (Prabhjot Singh Lotey/CBC)A Winnipeg man says he is keeping close tabs on family and friends back home in the Philippines, after two deadly typhoons ravaged the country in a matter of days, because he knows first-hand how destructive and terrifying those storms can be.“I’ve experienced super typhoons before when I was living there,” Ally Gonzalo said. “Recovering from typhoons like that, it takes a long, long time, not just physically speaking, but also the emotional toil that it takes on you, like seeing your place get destroyed and your memories just literally getting washed away. “It really does something to you.”Gonzalo moved from his home in the Philippines to Winnipeg back in 2016, and says he has numerous friends and family members still living in the country, which is now assessing the scope of the destruction from two massive storms that hit the country just days apart. On Monday, Super Typhoon Fung-Wong blew out of the northwestern Philippines after setting off floods and landslides, knocking out power to entire provinces, killing at least eight people and displacing more than 1.4 million others.The storm slammed ashore in northeastern Aurora province on Sunday night as a super typhoon with sustained winds of up to 185 kilometres per hour and gusts of up to 230 kilometres per hour.A cyclist rides past a damaged gas station in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Fung-Wong in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines on Monday. (Eloisa Lopez/Reuter)Fung-Wong lashed the northern Philippines while the country was still dealing with the devastation brought by Typhoon Kalmaegi, which left at least 224 people dead in central provinces last week. Gonzalo says the area where many of his family members live was spared the worst of Fung-Wong, getting strong winds, but not the extreme amounts of rain that some other regions experienced.He says, however, he is concerned about the long-term effects the storms will have throughout the country. “Everything gets put on hold until everything gets cleaned up and back to normal, if you will,” he said. “So that’s the uncertain part of it.”The news of the storms has been at times triggering for Gonzalo, because of a super typhoon he lived through back in 2008, and how traumatizing that experience was for him.“It was very strong winds, and you live in a concrete house and there’s not really much insulation to it,” he said. “So you really hear it, and it’s strong.”He’s also concerned because he says emergency response and recovery efforts are often not as quick or robust in the Philippines as they are in a country like Canada. “I know what it’s like to just experience that and not have access to the kind of help that you want,” he said. “It’s just reminding me of how inefficient deployments of help for the people can be.“It kind of puts into perspective to me how the government back home has fallen behind in terms of supporting the people, and giving them the help that they need.”Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba president Virginia Gayot says the organization is still working to assess the level of damage and need in the Phillipines, but will be ready to help out with emergency fundraising if that is what’s needed. Virginia Gayot, the president of the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba says the organization is still working to assess the level of damage and need in the Phillipines, but will be ready to help out with emergency fundraising if that is what’s needed. (Travis Golby/CBC)She said they will be reaching out to people in the Philippines, as well as members of Manitoba’s Filipino community as they try to assess the needs. “So what we’re doing right now is just asking our community and everybody to pray for protection for all those in the areas impacted by the typhoon,” Gayot said. Winnipeg resident Marife Cadag, who is originally from the northern Philippines and has family and friends in the area of the country impacted by Fung-Wong , says it has been difficult to see the destruction the storms have left behind.“It just breaks my heart,” Cadag told CBC Up To Speed’s Marjorie Dowhos on Monday. “These people are just helpless. Their houses are just standing up there, and suddenly they’re gone. It’s just devastating.”She is also hopeful that members of Winnipeg’s Filipino community and all Winnipeggers will do what they can to help those who need assistance in the Philippines, if there are fundraisers or other efforts set up to assist the country. Raising money for reliefWinnipegger Ana Ilagan, who is a member of Anakbayan Canada, a grassroots Filipino youth advocacy organization, said efforts are already underway in Manitoba and across Canada to raise money for typhoon relief.“There are so many Filipinos here in Canada, I think there are about a million of us now, and one way or another we’re still connected to the Philippines,” Ilagan said Monday. “A lot of us might have family members who have been affected by these typhoons.“So whenever our fellow countrymen need help, we are ready to help them out.” She said Anakbayan Canada plans to host several fundraising events in Canada, including an open mic event scheduled for Nov. 29 in Winnipeg. Plans for the event are still being finalized and Ilagan said more details about it should be released soon. WATCH | Winnipeg Filipino community worries about families after super typhoon:Winnipeg Filipino community worries about families after super typhoonMembers of the Filipino community in Manitoba are worried about their family back home. Super Typhoon Fung-Wong collided with the northeast coast of the Philippines Sunday. With more than 90,000 Filipinos living in the province, people are worried about family and friends, and looking to help from afar. ABOUT THE AUTHORDave Baxter is an award-winning reporter and editor currently working for CBC Manitoba. Born and raised in Winnipeg, he has also previously reported for the Winnipeg Sun and the Winnipeg Free Press, as well as several rural Manitoba publications.With files from Mike Arsenault and Marjorie Dowhos
Back-to-back typhoons leave Winnipeg’s Filipino community concerned for their families and home
