TABUK CITY, Kalinga — Tabuk City reported zero casualties following Typhoon Kristine, an achievement attributed to the swift and well-coordinated response led by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC). However, significant infrastructure and agricultural damages were recorded.
During the city’s regular flag-raising ceremony, Jeremias Ammakiw, head of the Incident Command System, highlighted that proactive measures by the CDRRMC before the typhoon’s landfall played a crucial role in this successful outcome.
Teams rapidly identified areas vulnerable to flooding and landslides, conducting preemptive evacuations to safeguard residents. In total, 325 families, or 1,069 individuals, were temporarily relocated to barangay evacuation centers, the main evacuation center, or the homes of relatives.
Mayor Darwin Estrañero extended his gratitude to the teams comprising the Incident Command Center, personally thanking the CDRRMC, Philippine National Police, Bureau of Fire Protection, city government personnel, and volunteers for their dedication. “Without their cooperation, an immediate response to affected families would not have been possible,” Estrañero said.
As of the latest report, most evacuees have safely returned to their homes. The City Social Welfare and Development Office is currently assessing financial aid for affected families. Meanwhile, the CDRRMC is consolidating reports of any agricultural damage, particularly to rice crops, to determine the full impact on the local farming sector.
Many evacuees were residents of flood and landslide prone areas or households impacted by storm-related damage.
Although the Chico River reached a “Yellow Alert” level earlier today, precautionary evacuations were conducted as waters continued to rise. By Jesse Maguiya
