John Hay Hotels Provides Relief and Employee Support After Guisad Surong Landslide in Baguio

When the Guisad Surong landslide displaced residents in Baguio, John Hay Hotels—part of Landco Lifestyle Ventures—ran an employee-led relief operation and offered direct help to colleagues who were affected. The response combined in-kind donations, cash assistance and staff volunteerism at Ground Zero.

How the relief effort was organized

John Hay Hotels used its Dap-ayan ti John Hay Labor-Management Cooperation (LMC) and the Corporate Social Responsibility Committee to gather, sort and repack relief items. Teams mobilized across departments to assemble hygiene kits and relief goods. The hotel partnered with the Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council–Cordillera Administrative Region (RAFC-CAR) and other local organizations to coordinate distribution.

The relief reached 18 families—about 66 individuals—housed at two evacuation centers: the International Academy (35 people) and the Guisad Surong Barangay Hall (31 people). Donations included:

• Clothing and hygiene kits (towels, dental and toiletry essentials)
• Slippers and laundry bags
• Cash aid and relief goods

The landslide directly affected hotel staff. One employee lost six family members and was staying at an evacuation center. The LMC provided that family with a cavan of rice, towels, linens, 99 bottles of energy drinks, dental kits, toiletries, clothing and PHP 5,000 in cash. Hotel management visited the family, assisted with relocation to new housing and continued follow-up support as they began rebuilding.

Employees volunteered at search-and-rescue operations. Housekeeping Supervisor Hilda Y. Coycoyen joined volunteers and rescuers on August 10 to search for three missing relatives of a colleague. Management performed welfare checks during the severe weather period, shared typhoon and road updates, coordinated across departments and inspected hotel facilities.

The response combined institutional channels (LMC, HR and CSR committees) with direct, hands-on support. Using a preexisting cooperation structure allowed the hotel to assemble kits quickly and channel them through RAFC-CAR for targeted distribution. Management emphasized ongoing care: "When a colleague loses six members of the family in a single night, our response cannot end with a donation," said Garden Wing Resident Manager Christine Marie B. Cua.

• Relief kits and donations delivered to 18 families at two evacuation sites.
• Direct cash and in-kind support for employees who lost family members.
• Employee volunteers participated in Ground Zero search efforts and ongoing welfare checks.

This account describes a private-sector relief response that used company structures and employee volunteerism to deliver immediate aid and continued support to affected colleagues and community members following a local landslide.