After the communists came to power in China, about six thousand Russian refugees left Shanghai. They sought help from the International Refugee Organization of the UN. Of all the countries, only the Philippines, under President Elpidio Quirino, agreed to accept them, initially for four months, but this period lasted more than two years.

The Russians were settled on Tubabao Island, where a former US military base was located.

On January 19, 1949, the first work group set off for Tubabao Island to begin constructing a camp for Russian emigrants. A total of about five and a half thousand people, including men, women, and children, were transported from Shanghai to Tubabao by sea and air. Two old passenger steamers, 'Hwa-lien' and 'Cristobal', made six trips between Shanghai, Manila, and Tubabao, while a third vessel, 'Haven', made the route twice, delivering the last four hundred refugees on May 20, 1949.

A large tent city was established on the island, where many Russian refugees lived from 1949 to 1951. The camp had two tent churches: one in honor of Archangel Michael, the other of St. Seraphim of Sarov. A large Holy Mother of God Cathedral was also set up, converted from a former American military church outside the camp with the permission of the Philippine authorities. According to eyewitnesses, the wooden cathedral was situated on a hill with a beautiful view of the sea and forest. In April 1949, Bishop John (Maximovich) of Shanghai arrived on the island, where he lived for three months before going to the USA, where he obtained permission for many Russian refugees from Tubabao to enter the country.

According to Protopresbyter Valery Lukyanov, 'Tubabao Island became a second little Shanghai.' The camp consisted of 14 districts, and people lived in tents. The heat on the island reached 45 degrees Celsius year-round, which was especially hard for the elderly. Over time, the emigrants moved to the USA, Australia, and Latin American countries.