Over 500 La Castellana families still displaced after Typhoon Tino

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY –  Nearly two months after Typhoon Tino triggered massive flooding in Negros Occidental, more than 500 families in La Castellana, Negros Occidental remain displaced after their homes were destroyed by floodwaters.

John De Asis, head of the La Castellana Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said the affected families belong to the most severely impacted group among more than 4,000 residents who were forced to evacuate when heavy rains caused flash floods in November.

“These families have nothing to return to. Their homes were totally washed away, leaving them without any permanent shelter,” De Asis said.

Public school buildings continue to serve as temporary evacuation centers, providing basic shelter and shared facilities for displaced residents.

Local authorities, with support from humanitarian groups, are distributing relief goods, medical assistance, and hygiene kits while longer-term housing solutions are being finalized.

Typhoon Tino left widespread damage across the Fifth District of Negros Occidental, affecting La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Isabela, and parts of Himamaylan City.

Provincial disaster reports showed thousands of homes damaged, extensive agricultural losses, and key infrastructure—including roads, bridges, and irrigation systems—either damaged or rendered impassable during the flooding.

Agricultural areas, particularly sugarcane fields and rice farms, suffered heavy losses, adding to the economic strain on farming communities already facing high production costs.

The provincial government has coordinated with national agencies to secure rehabilitation funding, emergency shelter assistance, and livelihood recovery programs.

In a related development, about 60 households from the four-kilometer permanent danger zone of Kanlaon Volcano remain temporarily housed in covered courts within their barangays.

Officials said these families were evacuated as part of safety protocols due to the volcano’s continued activity and were not directly affected by Typhoon Tino.

Municipal authorities said assistance for Kanlaon evacuees has been integrated into the broader disaster response to ensure food support, health services, and security.

Local governments, in coordination with provincial and national agencies, are identifying safe relocation sites for permanent resettlement and implementing livelihood assistance programs to help displaced families rebuild their lives after leaving evacuation centers.