Health Emergency in Liloan as Typhoon Debris Remains Uncollected
Residents in the northern town of Liloan, Cebu are raising urgent alarms about growing health hazards caused by uncollected debris and animal remains following typhoon Tino's devastation. The situation has escalated into a political confrontation between local and provincial officials, leaving communities trapped in potentially dangerous conditions.
Residents Voice Desperate Concerns
Five days after typhoon Tino struck on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, residents of Villa Azalea in Barangay Cotcot and other affected communities continue to plead for immediate clearing operations. Through social media appeals on the Cebu People's Action Center Facebook page on Saturday, November 8, one resident described an "unbearable" stench emanating from animal carcasses and mud.
"If we've managed to survive what we've gone through so far, our next concern is our health because the stench has become unbearable," the resident expressed, highlighting fears that disease outbreaks could become the next crisis after surviving the initial flooding.
Multiple residents reported that the Municipality's equipment and manpower proved completely insufficient for the scale of destruction. This shortage forced residents to undertake clearing operations themselves, resulting in some of the most severely affected areas being overlooked entirely.
Municipal Response and Political Conflict
The Municipality of Liloan issued a statement on Saturday acknowledging reports of foul odors in both Villa Azalea and Villa Lara subdivisions. The town administration claimed the matter had been addressed and noted that their clearing operations had uncovered numerous dead animals.
However, by Sunday, November 9, SunStar Cebu had not received any update from the Municipality regarding the current status of ongoing cleanup efforts, leaving residents uncertain about when relief would arrive.
The cleanup frustration reached boiling point on Sunday when Fifth District Rep. Duke Frasco publicly criticized Governor Pamela Baricuatro, urging her to "set aside politics" and provide immediate, tangible assistance to Liloan.
In a strongly worded statement, Frasco specifically demanded that the Provincial Government send heavy equipment including "excavators, payloaders, bulldozers and backhoes" to assist with the massive cleanup operation. The congressman claimed the provincial administration had not provided "a single piece of heavy equipment or any clearing assistance" since Wednesday, November 5.
"Gov, we don't need your cameras or your social media teams' attacks. What we need are your excavators... We need your help. Asa na man mo [Where are you]?" Frasco stated emphatically, stressing that political differences should never hinder disaster response efforts.
Broader Political Context
The heated exchange occurs against a backdrop of reported travel authorization requests from several mayors in Cebu's 5th District. According to Restituto Arnaiz, legal counsel to the governor's office, these Foreign Travel Authority requests for personal reasons were filed during the first week of November, just days before typhoon Tino made landfall.
Meanwhile, Rep. Frasco documented the aftermath through photos shared on his Facebook page on Thursday, November 6, two days after the typhoon's impact, showing the extensive damage requiring immediate attention.
The situation in Liloan remains critical as residents await substantial government intervention to address the growing health threats from decaying organic matter and widespread debris left by one of the year's most destructive weather events.
