Joselito Malig

Article (news)

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

Days after Severe Tropical Storm Opong battered Oriental Mindoro, affected residents have started to rise again, rebuilding their damaged homes.From the scattered roof sheets of their house, Sherwin managed to build a small shelter for his wife, Remedios, and their two children, as they still had no means to construct a new home.“‘Yung mga natumba diyan, ‘yung mga nabaklas, ‘yon din po ang pinagbubuo namin para po may matuluyan lamang ang aking mag-ina,” said Sherwin Juaquis of Barangay Palayan, Pinamalayan town.“Ang sakit po—minsan lang po magkabahay, tapos masisira lang din po ng bagyo. Talagang tatag lang po ng loob, pagsubok lamang po,” added his wife, Remedios.With their farmland destroyed, leaving them with no livelihood, Remedios now works odd jobs to provide for the family.“Naglalabandera lamang po ako, namamasukan po,” she said.But many, like 68-year-old Isagani Abella, can no longer rebuild their destroyed homes, which once stood beside an irrigation canal.He has no money and finds it difficult to move because of swelling in his feet. He also lives alone, as his children are in other provinces. His daily struggle now is where to get food.“Kung saan-saan na lang po ako diyan nakikikain. Nagsasabi naman ako ng totoo—talagang wala. Hindi ko pa kayang maghanapbuhay. Awa naman ng Diyos, ako ay binibigyan ng pagkain,” he shared.According to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), 5,070 houses were partially damaged and 666 were destroyed across Oriental Mindoro.Losses and damage in the agriculture sector have reached nearly ₱900 million, affecting rice fields, banana plantations, and fruit-bearing trees.“Walang masyadong ulan, pero ‘yung hangin ang nagpadapa sa mga palay na sana’y aanihin na, mga prutas na nagma-mature na,” said Governor Humerlito “Bonz” Dolor.Infrastructure damage was pegged at ₱145 million.Because of the extent of the destruction, the province was once again placed under a state of calamity. Last July, Oriental Mindoro had also been under the same declaration due to heavy monsoon rains and consecutive storms.Separately, the town of Mansalay also declared a state of calamity.Dolor admitted they did not expect the tropical cyclone&#x27;s damage to be this massive despite earlier preparations. Before the storm, he had already coordinated with the Department of Agriculture to prepare for its impact.“Nag-request na rin ako sa kanila ng augmentation para maipamigay natin sa mga magsasaka—mga bangka na nasira, mga upland farmers na nasiraan din ng pananim, seedlings, inputs, at alternative crops like vegetables,” Dolor said.The provincial government is expediting the distribution of relief goods to help typhoon-affected residents cope with hunger.For Remedios De Chavez of Barangay Anoling, three kilos of rice and some canned goods were a big help.“Kahit ako ay may nararamdaman, ako ay nagpipilit magtrabaho para kumain. Gutom talaga. Wala naman akong palayan. Naninimot lamang ako kapag nag-aanihan ng paisa-isang butil sa palayan,” she shared.The provincial government also announced it will distribute construction materials to residents who lost their homes.Meanwhile, the Oriental Mindoro Electric Cooperative (ORMECO) reported that 70.66 percent of households—187,800 out of 265,765—have had their electricity supply restored.

Days after Severe Tropical Storm Opong battered Oriental Mindoro, affected residents have started to rise again, rebuilding their damaged homes.

Days after Severe Tropical Storm Opong battered Oriental Mindoro, affected residents have started to rise again, rebuilding their damaged homes.

Oriental Mindoro under state of calamity due to Opong

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Oriental Mindoro under state of calamity due to Opong

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published September 29, 2025 08:54 PM PHT

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