SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur — Local governments in Siargao are taking proactive steps to strengthen disaster preparedness as Typhoon Tino advances toward the Caraga Region, prompting the activation of response teams, preemptive evacuation advisories, and heightened coastal monitoring.
The Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)–Caraga, according to a report by the Philippine Information Agency, convened 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 regional advisory directed all local disaster offices to activate emergency operations centers, preposition rescue assets, and ensure the readiness of evacuation sites in low-lying and landslide-prone areas.
In General Luna, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) issued an early evacuation advisory across its 19 barangays, reminding residents to identify the nearest evacuation centers and prepare essential supplies. The advisory urged families in flood-prone coastal zones to evacuate early and not wait for weather conditions to deteriorate.
MDRRMC, in the advisory posted on its social media page, likewise encouraged local lodging houses, resorts, and private establishments to voluntarily open their facilities to evacuees who may need temporary shelter.
General Luna resident Alexa Ray Paroz has offered help to those who would likely seeking refuge when Typhoon Tino batters the island.
“Hello, if anyone needs food or any assistance, please come to our house. Evryone is welcome. We’ll get through this together,” Paroz said her Facebook page.
“We can keep our community safe through kindness and readiness,” the advisory stated, emphasizing community cooperation and vigilance in the face of the approaching storm.
Municipal officials and barangay captains have also been conducting house-to-house warnings and information drives to ensure that residents are aware of evacuation protocols.
Coordination lines with the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fire Protection remain open for emergency rescue operations should the storm intensify.
Meanwhile, in neighboring Del Carmen, disaster preparedness has become part of local governance since the devastation brought by Super Typhoon Odette in 2021.
The town’s “Climate-Resilient Siargao” program, launched shortly after Odette, focuses on community-based readiness and the empowerment of barangay-level responders.
In November last year, the local government conducted a typhoon simulation drill in the island barangays of Caub, Halian, and San Fernando, testing coordination among the Municipal DRRMO, health units, and the Coast Guard. The drill aimed to assess real-time evacuation procedures, communication systems, and early warning mechanisms.
The Del Carmen MDRRMO maintains an updated list of evacuation centers and emergency hotlines for its 20 barangays, which it posted on its official social media page over the weekend.
Across Siargao and Dinagat Islands, disaster officials stress that preparedness measures — from preemptive evacuations to mangrove rehabilitation and typhoon-resilient housing — are vital to minimizing risks as Tino brings potential heavy rains and strong winds.
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