A LOW pressure area (LPA) outside the Philippine area of responsibility is evolving into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours, even as the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reported 15 additional fatalities possibly linked to Severe Tropical Storm ‘Opong’ in Bicol and Eastern Visayas, which could raise the death toll to 42.
OCD Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV noted that 27 deaths have so far been confirmed from the combined impact of Opong, Super Typhoon Nando, Tropical Depression Mirasol, and the enhanced habagat, according to reports submitted to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
This includes nine deaths in Bicol (Region 5), eight in Cagayan Valley (Region 2), four in Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), two each in Central Luzon (Region 3) and Central Visayas (Region 7), and one each in Mimaropa (Region 4B) and Eastern Visayas (Region 8).
“The official count stands at 27 but 15 more reported deaths from Regions 5 and 8 are still under validation,” Alejandro said.
Most of the deaths undergoing validation were in Biliran province where senior citizens, who returned to their homes were swept away by raging flash floods and storm surges.
The cases were being confirmed by the Management of the Dead and the Missing (MDM) Cluster headed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Meanwhile, the Department of Energy (DOE) estimates a budget of around P400 million to restore damaged power lines in Masbate due to severe tropical storm “Opong.”
This developed as the Philippine Air Force (PAF) delivered over 1,000 boxes of family food packs to communities in Masbate affected by Opong.
PAGASA said the LPA has a medium chance for tropical cyclone formation on Wednesday afternoon.
Once the LPA becomes a tropical depression, it will be named “Paolo,” PAGASA said.
As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, the LPA was spotted 1,360 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon.
PAGASA earlier said there will be two to four tropical cyclones to enter the country in October.
Energy Secretary Sharon Garin visited Masbate on Tuesday to assess the damage to energy infrastructure and to assure local officials and residents that the entire energy sector is fully mobilized to restore electricity at the soonest possible time.
Joining her were DOE Undersecretary Mario Marasigan, National Electrification Administration (NEA) Administrator Antonio Mariano Almeda, National Power Corp. (NPC) president Jericho Jonas Nograles, and other NEA officials as they surveyed the hardest-hit areas where transmission lines, distribution facilities, and generation assets sustained significant damage.
“This is more than an inspection, this is a commitment,” Garin said. “We came here to see and assess the extent of the damage and to personally assure the Provincial Government of Masbate, its local electric cooperatives, and the people of Masbate that the energy sector will do everything it can to restore electricity as quickly and safely as possible.”
“Our goal is to bring back power not just to energize homes, but to help communities recover and rebuild their lives,” she added.
The DOE did not give a target timeline when power supply will be fully restored in Masbate.
Garin commended line workers from various electric cooperatives nationwide who, under Task Force Kapatid, have been arriving in Masbate since Sunday to support the Masbate Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MASELCO).
She said despite challenging conditions and difficult terrain, they are working tirelessly to hasten power restoration and ensure that critical facilities such as hospitals, evacuation centers, government offices and water systems are prioritized.
“We are moving with urgency, but also with care. Safety remains our top priority for both workers on the ground and the public. Together, we will restore power and restore hope,” Garin added.
Opong, which battered the Bicol Region, caused widespread damage to energy infrastructure, leaving many parts of Masbate powerless.
The DOE urged residents to remain vigilant, report hazards such as toppled poles and live wires to authorities and cooperate with line crews to ensure a safe and orderly restoration process.
Meanwhile, a total of 12 electric cooperatives (ECs) in nine provinces across four regions remain under monitoring due to the combined effects of super typhoons Nando and Opong, and the southwest monsoon or habagat.
Of these, 11 electric cooperatives were still experiencing partial power interruptions, while the Masbate Electric Cooperative remained under total outage.
The PAF relief mission, conducted on Monday by the Tactical Operations Wing Southern Luzon and Tactical Operations Group 5 used S-70i Black Hawk and Super Huey II helicopters to transport the supplies.
The operation was carried out in coordination with the Department of Health, the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the Office of Civil Defense in Region V.
“These relief operations underscore the PAF’s steadfast commitment to its humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) mandate, ensuring timely support and aid to Filipinos in times of need,” the PAF said.
