President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. conducted a comprehensive inspection tour in Negros Occidental on Saturday, November 15, 2025, focusing on communities devastated by the recent Typhoon Tino. The President's visit came amid a brewing political controversy, to which he delivered a sharp response.
On-Site Assessment of Typhoon Damage
The Chief Executive visited key locations in the heavily impacted towns of Moises Padilla and La Castellana. His itinerary included Jose Pepito Montilla Garcia Sr. National High School and Barangay Poblacion in Moises Padilla. He also assessed the evacuation center at La Castellana Elementary School in Barangay Robles and inspected the damaged Bungahin Steel Bridge in La Castellana.
Following the field inspection, President Marcos presided over a situational briefing at the La Castellana Municipal Hall. The meeting included Cabinet secretaries, representatives from national government agencies, and local chief executives from affected areas in central Negros Occidental. The primary agenda was to evaluate the damages from Typhoon Tino, which struck on November 4, 2025, and to coordinate the government's rehabilitation strategy.
Staggering Local Impact and Dual Disasters
La Castellana Vice Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan presented a grave picture of the calamity's effects. She reported that 13,591 families across various barangays were affected. The human toll was significant, with 13 confirmed deaths and 14 individuals still missing.
Of the total affected families, 1,657 families, comprising 5,819 individuals, are currently taking shelter in 27 evacuation centers established throughout La Castellana. The infrastructure also suffered severe blows, with four bridges—Bungahin Bridge, Bungahin Hanging Bridge, San Luis Bridge, and Cambagting Bridge—sustaining damage.
Vice Mayor Nicor-Mangilimutan also highlighted a compounding crisis, reminding the President about families displaced by the Mount Kanlaon eruption. These families, residing within the volcano's four-kilometer permanent danger zone, remain unable to return home. She noted that the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) has committed to providing modular houses for these affected residents.
President Addresses Allegations During Disaster Response
While his focus was on the typhoon response, President Marcos was confronted by reporters regarding allegations made by former Ako Bicol representative Zaldy Co. In a video message on social media, Co claimed that the President personally ordered the insertion of P100 billion worth of projects into the 2025 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
President Marcos offered a terse and dismissive response. "If you want to talk about the storm, we'll talk about that. I don't want to even dignify what he is saying," he stated, choosing to concentrate public attention on the ongoing disaster relief operations rather than the political accusations.
Concluding the visit, Vice Mayor Nicor-Mangilimutan expressed that President Marcos promised to take immediate action to address the extensive damages suffered by the town, offering a beacon of hope for the recovery of the typhoon-ravaged communities.
