Most of these houses are in Homonhon Island

TACLOBAN CITY — Nearly 1,000 houses in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, were either destroyed or damaged after Typhoon “Tino” (international name: Kalmaegi) battered the town early this week.

Based on a report from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) chaired by Mayor Annaliza Gonzales-Kwan, 126 houses were totally destroyed while 818 others sustained partial damage.

The hardest-hit areas were the island barangays of Cagusuan, Casuguran, and Culasi, located in the historic Homonhon Island, where Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan first landed in 1521.

In Cagusuan, 21 houses were reported totally destroyed while 203 others suffered partial damage. Casuguran recorded 98 homes completely flattened, while Culasi saw 237 houses partially damaged as strong winds and heavy rains pummeled the town from midnight of Monday until early Tuesday.

Mayor Gonzales-Kwan said most of the affected houses were made of light materials such as nipa shingles and bamboo, which easily gave way to the typhoon’s intensity.
Following the damage assessment, the Guiuan municipal council placed the entire town under a state of calamity on Tuesday to allow the release of emergency funds for immediate relief and recovery efforts.

The local government, with support from the provincial government of Eastern Samar under Governor Ralph Vincent Evardone, has started distributing housing materials to families who lost their homes.

Despite the widespread destruction, the mayor said no casualties or missing persons were reported. However, seven individuals sustained minor injuries, according to the Rural Health Unit.

She added that no major roads or bridges were damaged, allowing relief operations to reach affected communities quickly.

During the height of Typhoon Tino, authorities carried out preemptive evacuations, moving 2,579 families or 9,083 individuals to safer areas to avoid casualties.

“While the extent of damage to homes is significant, we are thankful that no lives were lost,” Mayor Gonzales-Kwan said, adding that the local government remains focused on helping residents rebuild.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

The Philippines’ leading finance super app, GCash, has introduced two new game-changing products — GCash PocketPay, which allows merchants to accept card payments seamlessly, and the GCash Virtual US Account, which enables freelancers to receive salaries straight to their e-wallet accounts without additional charges.

MSMEs are limited to cash only and miss out on additional purchases from credit cards. With the launch of PocketPay, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can now grow their businesses by accepting card payments directly through an Android smartphone.
The tap-to-pay functionality is especially built for mobile sellers, delivery-based vendors, and pop-up merchants operating outside traditional retail channels. It allows businesses to meet customer demand for card payments without investing in costly hardware. The feature is available with zero transaction fees until December 3, 2025, and can be activated via the GCash for Business portal.

“GCash PocketPay makes accepting card payments available for all MSMEs. It’s an easy-to-use and reliable business solution that meets their needs wherever they are,” GCash for Business Head Jong Layug said.

Apart from initiatives for MSMEs, GCash has also launched an offering targeting Filipino freelancers servicing clients from the United States.

GCash is also addressing a persistent pain point for Filipino freelancers who often lose a portion of their income to costly fees, reducing their take-home pay and delaying access to funds they rely on for daily expenses.

The GCash Virtual US Account, powered by global payments network Meridian1, promises reduced platform fees and forex costs, allowing gig workers to have bigger take-home pay. In addition, the GCash Virtual US Account eliminates high withdrawal fees and hidden charges.

Fully verified GCash users are eligible for account opening. They can transfer funds from different payment platforms, payroll platforms, and marketplaces such as PayPal, Payoneer, Gusto, Deel, Upwork, Freelancer.com, Fiverr, and Onlinejobs.ph.

This feature is seen to boost inflows of dollars into the country from the US, which is a top remittance source for the Philippines. According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, about 40% of cash remittances from January to August this year came from the US.

“With the GCash Virtual US Account, we’re enabling Filipino freelancers to take full control of their hard-earned income, allowing them to maximize every peso they earn,” GCash General Manager for International Paul Albano said.

Through GCash PocketPay and GCash Virtual US Account, GCash strengthens its goal of enabling both MSMEs and freelancers by breaking barriers to financial access—whether through effortless card acceptance for small businesses or faster, more affordable cross-border payments for gig workers. (PR)

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday approved the declaration of a state of national calamity due to the devastation caused by Typhoon Tino in several regions, and the impact of another incoming powerful typhoon.

President Marcos approved the proposal of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to declare a state of calamity, during a situation briefing held at the NDRRMC headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

The President said the government is continuing rescue and relief efforts for all those affected by Typhoon Tino, while preparing for Typhoon Uwan.

“Mabigat talaga ang pagkatama sa Cebu. Actually, Regions VI, VII, VIII, MIMAROPA, umabot sa Negros Island Region dahil tumawid ang Tino – the damage is heavy,” President Marcos said in a media interview after the briefing.

“And so, we are doing our usual relief and support activities para lahat nung mga na-displace, lahat nung naging biktima, ay matutulungan ng pamahalaan, together with national government, together with the first responders, of course, the LGUs.”

“Because of the scope of, shall we say, problem areas that has been hit by Tino and will be hit by Uwan, there was a proposal from the NDRRMC, which I approved, that we will declare a national calamity because ilang regions na ‘yan,” President Marcos continued.
President Marcos said 10 to 12 regions are expected to be affected by the twin typhoons. “So, pagka ganoon karami, ganoon ang scope, then we really have to, then it is a national calamity.”

The declaration of a state of national calamity will accelerate the government’s and the private sector’s rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation efforts. The declaration will also facilitate the use of calamity funds in affected areas.

“That gives us quicker access to some of the emergency funds. Secondly, mapapabilis ang ating procurement so that we don’t have to go to the usual bureaucratic procedures and we can immediately provide assistance to the victims,” President Marcos said.

Following the onslaught of Typhoon Tino, the Office of the President (OP) has provided a total of PhP760 million in financial assistance to the affected local government units: P50 million each for the provinces of Cebu, Capiz, Surigao del Norte, Iloilo, Bohol, and Negros Occidental; PhP40 million each for Eastern Samar, Surigao del Sur, Southern Leyte, Antique, and Aklan; P30 million each for Leyte and Masbate; PhP20 million each for Guimaras, Agusan del Norte, and Dinagat Islands; PhP10 million each for Biliran, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, Misamis Oriental, Negros Oriental, and Palawan; and P5 million to Albay, Romblon, Batangas, Northern Samar, Siquijor, Quezon, Samar, Agusan del Sur, Laguna, Zamboanga City, City of Manila (due to stranded passengers), Camiguin, Occidental Mindoro, Camarines Norte, Zamboanga del Norte, and Iligan City.

President Marcos said the government is evaluating the deployment of personnel to cover ongoing rescue and relief operations in the Typhoon Tino-affected areas and prepare for the impact of Typhoon Uwan in Northern Luzon.

“Kaya’t ‘yun ang aming binabalanse. Siyempre, hindi namin iiwanan ang Cebu hangga’t lahat na ay in place na. But we will do as much as we can to anticipate – if we anticipate well and we prepare well, marami tayong nagagawa para medyo mas mabawasan ang effect,” said the President. (PR)

ORMOC CITY– A tragic accident claimed the life of an eight-year-old girl who was struck by a falling coconut tree while on her way to buy fish on Monday afternoon, October 27, in Sitio Manipis, Barangay Bagaba-o, Leyte, Leyte.

Police identified the victim as alias “Majeng,” 8, a Grade 3 pupil and a resident of Sitio Manipis, Barangay Bagaba-o.

The incident involved two men identified as alias “Pino,” 42, married, chief tanod, and alias “Pabs,” 38, married, farmer, both residents of Barangay Mataloto, Leyte.

According to a report from the Leyte Municipal Police Station submitted to the regional police office, authorities received a phone call around 1:30 p.m. from Cpl. Kael, a Police sa Barangay (PSB) assigned in Barangay Mataloto, reporting that a child had been accidentally hit by a coconut tree being cut down in the area.

Responding police officers immediately proceeded to the scene, where they found the girl lying on the ground. She was rushed by family members, aboard a police vehicle, to the Leyte Rural Health Unit, but was pronounced dead on arrival at 3:45 p.m. by attending physician Dr. Avery Carol B. Bartolome.

Initial investigation revealed that the victim was passing by when the coconut tree, being cut by the suspects, suddenly fell and hit her. The suspects and the victim’s family immediately tried to lift the tree and rescue the child, but she succumbed to her injuries before receiving medical treatment.

Both suspects voluntarily surrendered to PSB personnel in Barangay Mataloto following the incident. The chainsaw used in cutting the tree and the suspects themselves were brought to the Leyte Municipal Police Station for proper documentation and disposition.

(ROBERT DEJON)

TACLOBAN CITY– A 50-year-old barangay captain was shot dead by unidentified assailants while his live-in partner escaped unharmed on Sunday morning, November 2, 2025, in Barangay Nijaga, Calbayog City.

The victim, identified only as “Rolly,” a resident and barangay captain of Purok 3, Barangay Guinbaoyan Norte, was declared dead on arrival at a local hospital. His 34-year-old live-in partner, “Jen,” was left uninjured.

Initial investigation by the Calbayog City Police Station revealed that the couple was on their way home aboard a motorcycle when unidentified suspects opened fire using an unknown caliber firearm at around 10:12 a.m.

The Police Regional Office 8 (PRO-8) said the gunmen fled immediately after the attack.
Authorities have launched chokepoint and dragnet operations in coordination with nearby police stations to track down the suspects. Meanwhile, the Calbayog City Forensic Unit has processed the crime scene for evidence.

Police investigators are still determining the motive behind the killing.

(RONALD O. REYES)

ORMOC CITY– A 12-year-old girl was declared dead on arrival at a hospital after she was allegedly stabbed multiple times by her 22-year-old boyfriend in a fit of jealousy early Saturday morning, November 1, in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Sto. Niño, Isabel, Leyte.

Police identified the victim only as “Bea,” a student and resident of Barangay Sta. Cruz, and the suspect as “Roy,” a butcher residing in Sitio Lawis, Barangay Sto. Niño.

According to a report from the Isabel Municipal Police Station, officers were conducting a mobile patrol when they received information about a stabbing incident in the area. Upon arrival, a witness identified as “Jeff” pointed to the suspect as the assailant.
Police immediately arrested Roy and confiscated a kitchen knife, believed to be the weapon used in the attack.

Initial investigation revealed that the suspect became enraged after seeing the victim walking with another man, prompting him to stab her several times. The victim was rushed to the Isabel Emergency Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

The suspect is currently detained at the Isabel Municipal Police Station, where a murder charge is being prepared against him.

(ROBERT DEJON)