Behind every smile is a story of survival—let’s support them.

Help San Nicolas, Macabebe & Masantol, Pampanga Rebuild After Devastating Floods

My name is Mark Bustos, and I’m reaching out on behalf of my hometown—San Nicolas, in the flood-stricken areas of Masantol and Macabebe, Pampanga, Philippines. We’ve just experienced the worst flooding in our history, and our community is in desperate need of help.

Every year, floods hit our area—but the world rarely hears about it. The people of Masantol and neighboring towns endure these disasters quietly, with strength, resilience, and the biggest hearts. You’ll always see a smile on a Masantoleño’s face, even when they’re standing in floodwaters or rebuilding their lives from scratch. They keep going, they help one another, and they never complain. But let’s not mistake those smiles for the absence of struggle.

Right now, many families have lost everything. Homes are underwater, children can’t go to school, and people are surviving without clean water, food, or dry clothes. Many were already living in poverty—and now, they’re facing even more loss.

If you know me, you know I rarely ever ask for help. But this is bigger than me. This is about a whole community that I hold dear to my heart- that has always shown up for each other—now needing someone to show up for them.

Financial donations are what’s needed most right now, and they will go directly toward—but not limited to:

Food and basic necessities for affected families

Clean drinking water and hygiene supplies

School materials for displaced children

Basic medical aid and emergency support

I want to make this clear: 100% of all donations to this GoFundMe will go directly to relief efforts in Masantol and surrounding communities. I will personally see to it that every peso is used to provide urgent support for the families who need it most.

These are the people who never ask for much. They take care of each other, their neighbors, and anyone in need. Now it’s our turn to check up on them, to look after them, and to remind them that they’re not forgotten.

Please consider donating—anything helps. And if you can’t give financially, sharing this with others can still make a huge impact.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for caring, for listening, and for giving.

— Mark Bustos