A Talisay City resident who lost her home to fire in July has suffered another devastating loss after Typhoon Tino destroyed her family's temporary shelter in November, forcing them to evacuate to a government facility.
Double Tragedy Strikes Talisay Family
Evelyn Paraiso Tan, 40, from Barangay Lawaan II is among the evacuees currently staying at the Talisay City Sports Academy Center, where President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. conducted a visit on Friday, November 7, 2025. The mother recounted how her family had just begun recovering from the July fire that destroyed their original home when Typhoon Tino struck.
"We were relocated by Mayor Samsam within Barangay Lawaan II, but the area was still too close to the river," Tan explained, referring to Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony "Samsam" Gullas Jr. While her family safely evacuated before the flooding, she emphasized they now desperately need housing materials to rebuild their home.
Official Explains Root Cause of Flooding
Alvin Santillana, head of the Talisay City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), provided insight during a media interview on November 7 about what caused the severe flooding in Talisay. He clarified that the problem wasn't due to lack of trees or failed flood control systems, but rather residents living in danger zones near rivers.
"It's not about the trees, it's about the people living there in the river," Santillana stated. "Why are they positioned there? What can the trees in the mountains do when we have a typhoon? The heavy rainfall will inevitably flow through the river. If there were no people living by the river, we wouldn't have destroyed houses or casualties."
Santillana explained that even areas with substantial tree cover couldn't withstand the unprecedented amount of rainfall brought by Typhoon Tino. PAGASA reported that two months' worth of rainfall fell within just three hours during the typhoon's onslaught.
Resident Responsibility in Disaster Prevention
The disaster official emphasized that residents need to take an active role in their own safety by carefully choosing where to build their homes. "I am not blaming anybody, it's just that they should know where to build their houses," Santillana said.
He recalled conversations from seminars where residents would ask, "Where should you have us live, sir?" Santillana responded that this decision ultimately rests with residents themselves. "That's not for me to answer, it's supposed to be them because they're the ones who will live there, they're the ones who need to find ways about where to live."
Meanwhile, Evelyn Tan continues her appeal for housing assistance, hoping her family can finally establish a permanent, safe home away from flood-prone areas.
