MORE than 133,000 residents across Western Visayas were affected by Typhoon Tino, which brought strong winds and heavy rains that disrupted power, sea travel, and classes in several provinces.
As of 3 a.m. Tuesday, the center of Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) was located over the coastal waters of Tudela, Cebu, with maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts reaching up to 205 kilometers per hour while moving westward at 25 kilometers per hour.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) reported Tuesday that 42,555 families or 133,554 persons were affected in five provinces of Western Visayas.
Of the total, 30,120 families or 94,324 individuals were housed in 1,304 evacuation centers, while 11,880 families or 37,238 individuals were served outside evacuation sites.
Capiz recorded the highest number of affected families at 17,091 or 50,311 individuals, followed by Iloilo with 9,001 families (28,182 persons), Aklan with 7,966 families (27,568 persons), Antique with 7,395 families (23,632 persons), and Guimaras with 1,102 families (3,861 persons).
A total of 3,983 families or 12,534 persons were preemptively evacuated across the region, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reported.
The bulk of evacuations occurred in Capiz, which moved 3,661 families or 11,373 people to safety.
Guimaras followed with 219 families or 786 people, Aklan with 93 families or 342 people, and Iloilo with 10 families or 33 individuals.
Power interruptions and transport disruptions
The Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported power interruptions in seven municipalities, including Anini-y, Culasi, Tobias Fornier, Laua-an, Valderrama, Barbaza, and Sebaste. Restoration efforts are ongoing.
Maritime operations also came to a halt as 25 seaports in the region suspended trips due to strong winds and rough sea conditions, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The affected ports included 15 in Iloilo, three each in Antique, Aklan, and Guimaras, and one in Capiz.
PCG data also showed that 413 passengers, 113 rolling cargoes, and two vessels were stranded as of 4 a.m. on November 4.
Most stranded passengers were recorded in Iloilo (313), followed by Aklan (57), Guimaras (42), and Antique (1).
The PCG said in its advisory that “all sea travel remains suspended in affected ports until weather conditions improve.”
Classes and work suspended
The Department of Education (DepEd) ordered the suspension of classes in 98 cities and municipalities in the region on November 3 as a precautionary measure.
Iloilo had the most areas with class suspensions at 41, followed by 18 in Antique, 17 in Aklan, 17 in Capiz, and five in Guimaras.
Work in 44 cities and municipalities was also suspended, particularly in Antique, Aklan, and Capiz, to ensure public safety amid heavy rains and strong winds.
Antique implemented province-wide work suspension under Memorandum Order 100, while Aklan issued Memorandum 126 for government offices.
Assistance to affected families
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that 4,950 families across the region required immediate assistance, amounting to a total of P1,105,213 in aid.
As of the latest report, 974 families, or 19.68 percent, have already received assistance. Capiz had the most number of assisted families at 974, equivalent to 22.53 percent of those needing support.
Guimaras, with 626 families affected, received a total of P570,000 in financial aid from the local government. DSWD’s field office distributed family food packs (FFPs) and non-food items in heavily affected towns such as Maayon and Panay in Capiz.
In a statement, the DSWD said, “Relief operations are ongoing to ensure that families inside and outside evacuation centers receive immediate assistance.
Coordination with local government units remains continuous to address gaps in relief distribution.
Government response and coordination
Regional Director Raul Fernandez of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Western Visayas said in the situational report that all provincial and city disaster councils were on full alert to monitor Typhoon Tino’s impact and coordinate relief operations.
Fernandez added that the RDRRMC maintains close coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, and the Philippine Coast Guard to facilitate response operations and data reporting.
As Typhoon Tino continues to move westward, the RDRRMC advised all local government units and provincial disaster offices to remain vigilant against potential flash floods and landslides.
Continuous monitoring and coordination are ongoing with national agencies for immediate response and recovery operations.
The OCD said it will issue further situational reports to update the public on relief distribution, power restoration, and infrastructure damage assessments once weather conditions improve.
The RDRRMC and local DRRMCs continue to consolidate reports from all affected provinces for submission to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Manila. (Leo Solinap)