• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
More than a week after the devastation of Typhoon Tino, authorities are still searching for 68 missing persons in Negros Island Region.
Office of Civil Defense-Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) Director Donato Sermeno III, who met with Philippine Coast Guard officials on Thursday (Nov. 13), said they are mulling the possibility of allowing relatives of missing persons to join them in their floating assets during the search and retrieval operations.
OCD-NIR logged 64 deaths and of the total missing persons, 63 are residents of Negros Occidental.
“By allowing them to join the search and retrieval operations, they will personally witness the best effort of authorities in looking for their missing family members,” Sermeno said.
The Coast Guard, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and volunteer groups have also employed K9 units and drones in the search of missing persons.
As of Nov. 12, the report of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council showed almost 14,000 families are still staying in evacuation centers.
There were 53,651 houses damaged and 9,339 others destroyed by Typhoon Tino. | GB
