HEADLINE

By CESAR JOLITO III Disaster response authorities have officially terminated large-scale search, rescue and retrieval (SRR) operations for those missing after Typhoon “Tino,” as they agreed to conduct case-by-case search efforts for families who request continued assistance. “The order will be cut, but families can request a continuation if they are not satisfied,” Donato Sermeno III, director of …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson has admitted difficulty in distributing the P50 million aid released by the national government for families affected by Typhoon “Tino” in six local government units (LGUs) in the province. “It’s very difficult to distribute this money because the amount is not enough to cover all damages,” Lacson …

By CESAR JOLITO III The national government has already released P45 million in emergency assistance to six local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, as authorities begin planning the relocation of hundreds of families displaced by Typhoon “Tino,” La Castellana Vice Mayor Rhumyla Nicor-Manguilimutan said following President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s visit to the province on …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has reported an estimated P1.2 billion in losses to the sugar industry in the Visayas, including Negros Island, following the widespread destruction brought by Typhoon “Tino.” According to the SRA, “Tino” devastated more than 53,000 hectares of sugarcane fields across the mill districts of Negros Island, …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental 4th District Representative Jeffrey Ferrer is calling for the immediate relocation of families displaced by Typhoon “Tino,” as the Office of Civil Defense reported that more than 600 houses in the district were completely destroyed. Ferrer said temporary shelters and evacuation centers were only short-term solutions, emphasizing the need for …

By CESAR JOLITO III President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has approved an additional P45 million in financial assistance for six of the hardest hit local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental by Typhoon “Tino,” bringing total national support for the province to P95 million. The announcement was made by Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco during her visit to …

By CESAR JOLITO III Negros Occidental 4th District Representative Jeffrey Ferrer has urged the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conduct an immediate inspection of Kanlaon Volcano’s upper slopes, following reports that possible illegal activities in the area may have worsened flooding and landslides during Typhoon “Tino.” In an interview, Ferrer said several landslides …

By CESAR JOLITO III The Office of Civil Defense in the Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) confirmed yesterday that Typhoon “Tino” has claimed 83 lives across the region, with 34 individuals still reported missing as retrieval operations continue. Negros Occidental has been the hardest hit, recording 62 fatalities, the OCD-NIR said. The town of Moises Padilla suffered …

By CESAR JOLITO III The devastation brought by Typhoon “Tino” in Negros Occidental has reignited long-standing concerns over the province’s weakened forest defenses, as environmental groups blame years of neglect and unregulated development for worsening the disaster’s impact. Environmental watchdogs Green Alert Network (GAN) and the Group of Environmental Socialists (GOES), Inc. said the widespread flooding …

By CESAR JOLITO III Authorities across Negros Island are racing against time to locate dozens of people still missing in the aftermath of Typhoon “Tino,” but their efforts are being hampered by a shortage of specialized K9 units trained for search and cadaver retrieval. Irene Bel Ploteña, chief of the Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction …