OVER a week after typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) wreaked havoc on Cebu, 44 individuals are still missing, turning the aftermath of the storm into a grim, large-scale search operation. As responders sift through the devastation, dozens of families are left waiting for news. The staggering toll —now at 108 dead— highlights the devastating power of the flash floods that swept through communities.
The latest figures come from the 10 a.m. situation report from the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, which also lists 1,365 injuries across the province.
Scope of the disaster. The disaster’s impact affected multiple towns and cities. The high casualty counts in specific areas, particularly Compostela, Liloan and Balamban, have made them the focus of a massive, multi-agency response. This effort now involves local government units, the PDRRMC, municipal disaster offices, and national agencies including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine Army and Philippine Coast Guard.
The ongoing search underscores the human toll. While some areas, like Talisay City and Bantayan, have concluded operations after finding all their missing residents, the search continues for dozens more. For communities in Compostela (23 missing) and Balamban (15 missing), the retrieval operation is a race against time and a grim necessity for families seeking closure.
Official assessments. PDRRMC head Dennis Pastor stressed that the operation is far from over. While some local governments have finished retrieval, the search for the remaining missing continues. “Daghan pa kaayo (number of missing), dili pa madali-dali og terminate (There are still many missing; we can’t rush to terminate the retrieval operations yet),” Pastor said. He added that he could not say how long the search and retrieval efforts would last.
In other affected areas, the focus has shifted to clearing and sanitation. Police Regional Office 7 Director Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, after inspecting sites in Compostela and Cebu City, addressed reports of a “foul odor” believed to be from victims. “We received reports that this area really smells foul, and accordingly, that stench might be from bodies, either human or animal, that drowned in the flood,” Maranan said.
Where the impact is concentrated. The disaster’s toll is heavily concentrated in a few areas. Compostela has the highest number of missing at 23, along with 37 fatalities and 362 injuries. Liloan follows with 34 fatalities, 126 injured and two missing. Balamban also faces a significant search, with 15 missing, 14 fatalities and 869 injuries.
Other communities are also counting their losses. Danao City reported nine fatalities and one missing, while Asturias has four fatalities and two missing. Mandaue City has one fatality and one missing person. Several other areas, including the City of Talisay, Bantayan, and Tabogon, reported fatalities but have since located all their missing residents.
What the operation involves now. The PDRRMC is currently stationed in Compostela, the town with the highest number of missing people.
In Cebu City’s Barangay Bacayan, search dogs from the Regional Explosive Ordnance Disposal-K9 Unit 7 have been deployed to help locate human and animal remains amid the debris.
Maranan also ordered personnel to check subdivisions in Bacayan, including Villa del Rio 1, for possible explosive materials or structural hazards left by the flood.
The immediate future remains focused on the search. Operations are centered on Compostela, Liloan and Balamban, while unaffected towns like Argao and Carmen have sent personnel to assist in the difficult task of locating the 44 missing individuals. / CDF, AYB