TACLOBAN CITY – The five fishermen from Maydolong, Eastern Samar who were reported missing during the onslaught of Typhoon “Opong” have safely returned home on Saturday, September 27, 2025, after being found by fellow fishermen.

The fishermen — Albert Tating, Birbie Calosar, Harold Cris Buenafe, Ricky Bajado, and Rembert Versoza, all residents of Barangay 4, Maydolong — were caught at sea by heavy rains and huge waves. To stay safe, they tied their boat to a ‘payao’ (fish aggregating device) to avoid drifting farther away until the weather improved.

“They stayed out at sea longer because they wanted to make sure they could safely return once conditions were better,” said Remegio Orale, head of the Maydolong Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO).

He added that poverty pushes some fishermen to risk going to sea despite storm warnings, as fishing is their only livelihood.

On Sunday, Sept.28, the five fishermen received assistance from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office 8, each receiving P10,000 in cash relief, along with two family food packs, hygiene kits, family kits, kitchen kits, and sleeping kits.
According to DSWD-8, at least 88,171 families or 295,598 individuals from 97 towns and cities across Eastern Visayas were affected by Typhoon “Opong,” which also damaged 451 houses — 1,800 of them partially. The agency has earmarked P139.5 million for relief assistance to affected families and individuals.

Orale confirmed that the five fishermen were the only ones reported missing in Maydolong during the storm.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY – Thousands of families across Eastern Visayas reeling from the impact of Typhoon “Opong” are now receiving faster relief assistance as the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC-8), led by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD-8), ramped up logistics and airlift operations to reach even the most isolated communities.
With storm signals lifted and sea travel resuming on September 26, the Regional Inter-Agency Coordination Cell 8’s Libreng Sakay Program immediately transported food packs from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), medical supplies from the Department of Health (DOH), and power restoration materials from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) from Tacloban Port to Amandayehan Port in Basey, Samar.

The OCD-8, as the Logistics Cluster Lead, coordinated the movement of supplies between hubs and disaster-stricken communities — a hallmark of the whole-of-government approach to disaster response.

Aerial operations, supported by the Philippine Air Force, saw two Black Hawk helicopters airlifting 300 family food packs to hard-hit and isolated towns like Capul in Northern Samar and Tagapul-an in Samar, where sea travel remains difficult. The same missions also conducted rapid damage assessments and supported search-and-rescue operations in Biliran.

Additional relief efforts included the delivery of OCD hygiene kits to Caibiran, Biliran, aided by the Philippine Army’s Joint Task Group Tacloban and 546th Engineer Construction Battalion, alongside the Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, and other RDRRMC member-agencies. The Department of Information and Communications Technology also carried out connectivity assessments to help restore mobile and internet services in affected areas.

RDRRMC-8 Chairperson and OCD-8 Regional Director Lord Byron Torrecarion stressed the importance of seamless logistics to sustain disaster response operations.

“Beyond delivering aid, our coordinated efforts restore lifelines and reaffirm the government’s commitment that no community is left behind in the aftermath of Typhoon ‘Opong,’” Torrecarion said.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) regional office has released cash assistance to bereaved and injured families in Biliran province through its Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) program following the devastation brought by Typhoon “Opong.”

According to initial reports from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), four municipalities — Kawayan, Maripipi, Culaba, and Caibiran — were among the hardest-hit areas when the typhoon lashed Biliran with strong winds and heavy rains, triggering floods and landslides. At least 10 people were confirmed dead while nine others sustained injuries.

DSWD Field Office 8 Regional Director Grace Subong said the agency immediately deployed a quick response team to coordinate with the affected local government units and validate the needs of the victims.

“We are committed to extending urgent and compassionate assistance to the families affected by Typhoon Opong to help ease their burden,” Subong said.

Under the AICS program, DSWD-8 provided P100,000 in financial assistance to the bereaved families to cover burial and funeral expenses, while P45,000 was distributed to nine injured individuals to support hospitalization and medical treatment.

Family food packs, sleeping kits, and hygiene supplies were also pre-positioned and distributed to affected barangays to complement local relief operations.

The AICS program is a flagship emergency intervention of the DSWD designed to help individuals and families cope with crises brought by disasters, emergencies, and other unforeseen events.

In Eastern Visayas, the program has become a critical component of post-disaster response, supplementing local government efforts to restore normalcy in affected communities.

Typhoon “Opong,” which battered Biliran province and nearby areas last week, displaced hundreds of families and damaged key infrastructure, prompting both national and local agencies to mobilize resources for relief, recovery, and rehabilitation.

DSWD-8 assured the public that its teams remain on the ground to monitor the situation and provide additional support as needed, especially to vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and persons with disabilities.

(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)