Typhoon Tino affects 661,900 Negrenses, causes PHP 427.9M damage

By Dolly Yasa

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL – Typhoon Tino, which struck on Nov. 4, affected a total of 661,900 residents, or 179,092 families, across 547 barangays and 18 local government units in Negros Occidental, according to a consolidated report from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The PDRRMC Executive Brief released on Nov. 11 reported that nearly 7,876 houses were totally destroyed, while 49,382 were partially damaged.

Damage to infrastructure reached PHP 427.9 million, with fisheries losses totaling PHP 22.5 million.

The Department of Agriculture’s Negros Island office also reported PHP 155 million in losses to crops and livestock.

The typhoon claimed 58 lives, left 58 people missing, and injured 127 others.

Infrastructure damage included bridges (PHP 296.3 million), schools (PHP 21.8 million), roads (PHP 85.8 million), government facilities (PHP 7.5 million), other facilities (PHP 16.4 million), and creeks (PHP 100,000).

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco, who visited the province with Education Secretary Sonny Angara, said the national government is committed to providing full support to local government units and affected communities.

“We will ensure that the presence of the national government is felt throughout the recovery period,” Frasco said.

Frasco and Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson visited Binalbagan, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, and La Carlota City to inspect the typhoon’s impact.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has launched a comprehensive investigation into the causes of the flash floods and rockfalls triggered by the typhoon.

Charlie Fabre, regional director of DENR-NIR, said a specialized team—comprising experts from Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and a dedicated unit from Manila—is conducting the probe.

“Our immediate focus is to determine the precise triggers that unleashed these catastrophic flash floods,” Fabre said.

Alongside DENR’s on-the-ground assessment, the Office of Civil Defense, in coordination with other government agencies, conducted aerial surveys to map the full extent of the damage across Negros Island.

Investigators are also examining reports of landslides on the slopes of Kanlaon Volcano, which may have contributed to the disaster by sending debris and rocks into Canlaon City, La Castellana, and Moises Padilla.