When NBA teams turned their backs on Dwight Howard during his career lows, it was the passionate fans in the Philippines who welcomed the three-time Defensive Player of the Year with unwavering loyalty- fueling his 2023 stint with the Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai International Basketball Championship, where he dazzled with 22 points and 15 rebounds in a single game.

Now, as the archipelago grapples with back-to-back natural disasters, the 39-year-old icon is channeling his 5.9 million X followers to amplify relief efforts, posting a poignant message on October 1: “Pray for the Philippines .”

This simple plea has already garnered over 2,000 likes, underscoring Howard’s deep bond with a nation that once reignited his love for the game. The call comes at a critical juncture: A devastating 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Cebu province on September 30, 2025, at a perilously shallow depth of just 10 kilometers- triggering the first major movement along an undersea fault dormant for over 400 years, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

Epicentered 19 kilometers northeast of Bogo City, the quake- the strongest to hit northern Cebu on record- claimed at least 72 lives, injured nearly 300, and left three missing under rubble, while displacing over 20,000 residents.

In Bogo alone, 87 buildings collapsed, including a pension house where rescuers pulled survivors from the debris, and nearly 600 homes were reduced to wreckage, affecting more than 170,000 people across 55 municipalities now under a state of calamity.

Howard’s gesture isn’t performative- it’s a full-circle nod to the Filipinos who chanted “Superman!” during his Manila exhibitions and cheered his T1 League MVP run in Taiwan, where he similarly pledged earthquake relief funds in 2024.

Even though they are surrounded and regularly face big natural disasters, the people showed love to the 3x DPOY. Back in 2024, Dwight Howard stated what made him come back to the Philippines.

“I went to Thailand on a visit last year, and I ran into a lot of Filipinos out there. And they said, ‘You gotta come back to the Philippines. We love you.’ And I said, ‘You know what, I gotta come back.’

The former Lakers star not only came back but is also involved with basketball in the Philippines, most notably by playing for Strong Group Athletics in the Dubai International Basketball Championship.

Dwight Howard and his love for the Philippines

When the NBA sidelined Dwight Howard, the global stage welcomed him, with the basketball-crazed Philippines forging an unbreakable bond with the former Defensive Player of the Year. After a stellar 2022-23 season in Taiwan’s T1 League, where he earned MVP honors and averaged 23.2 points and 16.2 rebounds per game, Howard found a second home in the Philippines.

The country’s fervent hoops culture resonated with his larger-than-life energy and relentless drive, making his 2023 signing with Strong Group Athletics for the East Asia Super League (EASL) a marquee moment- one of the most high-profile international moves in recent basketball history.

Howard’s Philippine journey transcended the court.

Beyond mesmerising fans with 22 points and 15 rebounds in the 2023 Dubai International Basketball Championship, he dove into the nation’s basketball heritage, studying PBA legends like Ramon Fernandez and engaging with Gilas Pilipinas’ storied legacy.

He trained with local talents, joined grassroots camps, and proudly represented the Philippines in the 2024 Dubai tournament, embodying a commitment far deeper than a paycheck. Despite consecutive losses to Lebanese juggernaut Al Riyadi in 2023 and 2024, Howard’s devotion to his Pinoy fans remained unshaken.

He rejected lucrative offers from Dubai clubs, posting on X to his 5.9 million followers: “No way I’m turning on my Pinoy Fans. Redemption coming! ”

Unfortunately, for the past two years, the former Lakers star has lost to Al Riyadi, a powerhouse in the Middle Eastern basketball scene. Still, those losses did not affect his love for the country. Howard then took to social media, sharing a post promising redemption, captioning it, “I can’t go against my Pinoy Fans.” This was in response to getting offers from teams in Dubai.