Local governments in Siargao activated their disaster response teams, issued advisories for preemptive evacuation, and heightened coastal monitoring as Typhoon Tino advanced toward the Caraga region on Tuesday.
After a series of emergency meetings over the weekend to coordinate contingency plans with local councils in Surigao del Norte and the Province of Dinagat Islands, the Caraga Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) issued an advisory directing all local disaster offices to activate emergency operations centers, preposition rescue assets and ensure the readiness of evacuation sites to accommodate people coming from low-lying and landslide-prone areas.
In General Luna town, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) issued an early evacuation advisory to its 19 barangays, particularly urging families in flood-prone coastal zones to evacuate early and not wait for weather conditions to deteriorate.
MDRRMC also encouraged local lodging houses, resorts, and private establishments to voluntarily open their facilities to evacuees who may need temporary shelter.
Among those who offered help is General Luna resident Alexa Ray Paroz, who opened her house to everyone who would need assistance.
‘Everyone is welcome. We can keep our community safe through kindness and readiness,’ Paroz stated on her Facebook page.
The MDRRMC also reminded residents to identify the nearest evacuation centers and prepare essential supplies.
Town and village officials went house-to-house to ensure that residents were aware of where to go in times of disaster.
The Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fire Protection also opened their coordination lines for immediate emergency rescue operations should the storm intensify.
In neighboring Del Carmen town, which had boosted disaster preparedness since the devastation of Odette in 2021, the MDRRMO apprised the town’s 20 barangays of its updated list of evacuation centers and emergency hotlines for the public to tap in times of emergency.
In the past, disaster officials in both Siargao and Dinagat Islands stressed preparedness measures that included preemptive evacuations, mangrove rehabilitation, and the building of typhoon-resilient housing to minimize risks amid potential heavy rains and strong winds that typhoons like Tino would bring