It was November 04, 2025 when Typhoon Tino struck Negros Occidental. Our province was declared as Signal No. 4 and in a red alert status. We knew that it would as strong as Typhoon Odette who almost destroyed our house so, our family prepared beforehand. Phones and flashlights were charged, some tree branches were cut, water was stored, canned goods were readied, and important things and files were secured. The night before, my family slept with a bit of nervousness of what will happen the next day - probably because of a traumatic experience we had during Typhoon Odette back December 2021.
In the morning, the day of Typhoon Tino landfall in Bacolod, our family woke up early because of the things falling down on our roof. My father told us to eat early just in case. There were about two hours of a calm weather – a not so strong winds, light rain, and a relaxed sky. When the clock struck at around 7:30 AM, the Typhoon began to unleash its rage. Nervousness was seen in my family’s faces but we tried to stay calm and alert. I was in my room; my windows are slightly open so I could see what was happening outside. Our house was surrounded of trees so, making it vulnerable to falling branches so, we had to remain cautious.
As I watch the typhoon rage, I have noticed the wind seemed to has no direction – it swirled and circled, as if playing with the humans who had angered Mother Nature. The trees around us seemed to surrender in the typhoon’s fury; they bent and swayed wherever the wind pushed them, until finally, some of them fell. It was a devastating sight. Trees were down, branches lay on our rooftop, leaves were scattered everywhere, everything outside our house is just messed up. My father’s rice field was also affected. I could see the sadness in his face; that small field was the fruit of his hard work, his effort to provide rice fir our family. He had tended to it regularly, checking for pests and ensuring it was healthy.
It was almost 4 in the afternoon when the weather calmed down. When I stepped outside, I saw a scene I never wanted to see again. It reminded my family how devastating it feels to experience a typhoon, to sleep in fear, to worry about our relatives, to build the damaged parts of our house. I also about others, especially those near the riverbanks, sea, and areas prone to flooding. Were they safe? Were there any casualties? Did they have food to eat? Were the stray animals safe? Those questions lingered in my mind, unanswered, as we had no electricity, no signal, and no television – just our presence and prayers to comfort us.
As I was about to sleep, I thanked God that my family was safe – our house, our livestock, and everything that mattered most to us. I prayed for the safety of others; the people who sacrificed their safety to safeguard their house, the rescuers who made an effort and risked their life to save those in need, the local governments offering aid, those medical personnels who saved lives, the volunteers helping the victims, those linemen who’s risking their lives and making an effort to store the powers. All of them showed true Filipino resilience and bayanihan – proof that even in the face of destruction, we remain strong, united, and full of hope.