Mother gives birth in evacuation center during Typhoon Opong

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — Amid heavy rains and flooding from Typhoon Opong, a 32-year-old woman gave birth to a baby girl at the Moises Padilla municipal evacuation center Friday morning.

Hundreds of residents were also displaced, and agricultural damage mounted as the storm swept through the town.

At around 4 a.m., April Joy Mones of Sitio Sulbod, Barangay Crossing Magallon, went into labor while sheltering in Tent No. 01 at the evacuation site.

The Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) on duty alerted the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), which immediately assisted and referred her to the Municipal Health Center, where she and her newborn received care.

The baby’s father expressed joy, sharing that it had been 10 years since their last child was born, following two sons.

Typhoon Opong’s torrential rains forced the evacuation of 109 families and the relocation of 33 livestock across the municipality on Friday, Sept. 26.

Rivers and creeks overflowed from nonstop rainfall, flooding homes near waterways and damaging infrastructure, according to the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Team.

The Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) reported that evacuees included 48 families from Barangay 1, 43 from Crossing Magallon, 17 from Barangay 3, and one from Barangay Inolingan.

Evacuees were temporarily housed at the Barangay 1 covered court and the main evacuation center in Barangay 6.

Although she was on official business outside the province, Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo immediately mobilized the MDRRMO Quick Response Team.

She appointed Sangguniang Bayan members Absalon Alconera and Vincent Garcia as acting mayors during her absence.

In a video conference with disaster response teams, Mayor Garcia-Yulo stressed the importance of ensuring evacuees’ safety, maintaining clean water and food supplies, and assessing property damage.

Vice Mayor Felix Mathias Segundo “Pimpoy” Yulo III oversaw the distribution of snacks to displaced families.

Medical check-ups for evacuees were conducted by the Rural Health Unit (RHU) team led by Dr. Lyle Love Louise Ladera, while the Philippine National Police (PNP) and BPAT secured the evacuation centers.

Evacuated families were allowed to return home after PAGASA lifted the Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal in Negros Occidental, with clear skies reported Saturday.

The typhoon, however, left significant agricultural damage amounting to PHP 600,000, affecting 21.38 hectares of crops across nine barangays: Quintin Remo, Odiong, Montilla, Magallon Cadre, Barangay 4, Barangay 6, Guinpana-an, Crossing Magallon, and Macagahay.

Rice was the most heavily affected crop, followed by high-value crops and corn.

Fifty-seven houses were damaged — 11 totally destroyed and 46 partially damaged.