TACLOBAN CITY — The Tingog partylist and the Leyte 1st district Congressional Office of former House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez turned over relief assistance to the local government of Guiuan, Eastern Samar on Thursday, November 6, 2025, for residents of Homonhon Island, one of the areas hardest hit by Typhoon Tino.

Guiuan was among the municipalities severely affected by the typhoon, with around 30 percent of houses on the islands of Homonhon and Suluan reported destroyed by strong winds and storm surges.

As part of the ongoing relief operations of Rep. Romualdez and Tingog partylist, representatives from their offices delivered 700 kilos of rice, seven boxes of instant noodles, seven boxes of instant coffee, and seven boxes of canned sardines to affected families through the Guiuan local government unit.

On Homonhon Island, seven barangays were reported to have suffered total destruction — namely Canawayon, Cagusuan, Casuguran, Pagbabangnan, Bitaungan, Habag, and Inapulangan.

Speaker Romualdez and Tingog partylist assured residents that they will continue to distribute relief assistance across Eastern Visayas, one of the first regions struck by Typhoon Tino, to help ease the hardship of families who lost their homes and livelihoods.

(JOEY A. GABIETA)

TACLOBAN CITY — The provincial government of Southern Leyte has declared the province under a state of calamity following the widespread destruction left by Typhoon Tino, which battered the province early this week.

Governor Damian Mercado signed Executive Order No. 54, Series of 2025, on Thursday, November 6, placing the province under a state of calamity to allow the immediate use of calamity funds and other necessary resources for relief, recovery, and rehabilitation operations.

Typhoon Tino made its first landfall in the town of Silago at midnight on November 4, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall that caused severe damage across 18 municipalities and Maasin City.

The storm toppled trees and power lines, leaving the entire province without electricity, while homes and infrastructure sustained significant damage from winds and flooding.
An initial report from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) showed that 31,738 families, or 114,402 individuals, from 100 barangays were affected by the typhoon. The OCD also reported two confirmed deaths in the province, both from Saint Bernard town, though a third fatality in Libagon is still being validated.

Under the executive order, all provincial offices, local government units, and concerned agencies were directed to implement rescue, relief, recovery, and rehabilitation operations, as well as to ensure the continuous delivery of basic services to affected communities. Law enforcement units were also instructed to maintain peace and order in the affected areas.
As of Thursday, power supply has yet to be fully restored across Southern Leyte, including in Maasin City, while internet connectivity remains limited in most towns, hampering communication and coordination of disaster response.

Governor Mercado said the declaration would help speed up government efforts to deliver aid and restore normalcy in communities hit hardest by Typhoon Tino.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY — The municipality of Silago in Southern Leyte, where Typhoon ‘Tino’ first made landfall, has been placed under a state of calamity following the massive destruction brought by the storm on November 4.

The declaration, approved by the Sangguniang Bayan members, was made upon the recommendation of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MDRRMC) headed by Mayor Lemuel Honor.

Mayor Honor said the local government had prepared for the typhoon’s arrival by conducting preemptive evacuations for residents in hazard-prone areas and prepositioning heavy equipment and relief supplies in strategic locations for clearing and immediate response operations.

After the typhoon’s onslaught, the municipal government reported that more than 5,800 families were evacuated to various shelters. Electricity and communication lines remain down, and the town’s main water supply was damaged, cutting access to safe drinking water.

Major roads leading to the municipality and its villages were also blocked by fallen trees and debris for several hours. Clearing operations by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Silago Municipal Police Station, Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine Army later made these routes passable by midday of November 4.

Mayor Honor said the damage assessment is ongoing, particularly in the agriculture sector, which includes losses in the town’s hog and poultry industries.

The mayor appealed for additional assistance from the national and provincial governments, as well as non-government organizations and private donors, for food, drinking water, medicines, and hygiene kits to aid families still staying in evacuation centers.

“We appeal for your help. We welcome your assistance—may it be water or food—because we badly need it,” Honor said, adding that the municipality’s Quick Response Fund (QRF) under its 5% calamity fund is insufficient to meet the needs of all affected residents.

Despite the extent of the damage, Mayor Honor expressed relief that no casualties were reported during the typhoon, attributing the zero-death record to the town’s early evacuation measures and preparedness.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)