Hope Amid Ruins: Communities of Homonhon Rise After Typhoon Tino’s Wrath

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar — The once quiet island of Homonhon now bears scars of destruction. Wooden homes lie in splinters, fishing boats rest shattered on the shore, and families gather under makeshift shelters — holding on to hope after Typhoon Tino unleashed its fury across Eastern Samar.

Local officials have declared seven barangays — Canawayon, Cagusuan, Casuguran, Pagbabangnan, Bitaungan, Habag, and Inapulangan — totally damaged, describing the situation as “critical.” Nearly 30 percent of homes across Homonhon and nearby Suluan Island have been destroyed or rendered uninhabitable, leaving families not only homeless but without means of livelihood.

For many residents, fishing and small-scale farming are their lifelines — both now severely disrupted by the storm. “We lost everything overnight,” said a resident of Barangay Canawayon, looking out at the debris-strewn coastline. “But we are still thankful that we are alive.”

In response to the devastation, Leyte 1st District Representative Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez and the Tingog Partylist mobilized their teams to deliver urgent relief assistance to the island communities. On November 6, 2025, the group arrived in Guiuan, bringing essential supplies for families struggling to get back on their feet.

The relief convoy carried 700 kilograms of rice, along with boxes of noodles, coffee, and sardines — small but vital provisions that provided immediate comfort to families who had gone days without stable food supplies. Volunteers and local officials worked side by side to distribute the goods, ensuring that even the most remote barangays received aid.

“Every family deserves help and hope,” Rep. Romualdez said. “We are here to stand with the people of Homonhon as they rebuild their homes and their lives.”

The Tingog Partylist has pledged to sustain the delivery of relief and rehabilitation support across the affected parts of Eastern Visayas, coordinating with the Local Government Unit of Guiuan to ensure continued assistance.

Beyond the relief goods, what shines through is the resilience of the people — neighbors sharing what little they have, fishermen helping clear debris, and children playing amid ruins, a sign that life, though shaken, goes on.

For the people of Homonhon, recovery will take time. But in the shared spirit of bayanihan, every act of kindness — every bag of rice, every helping hand — becomes a step toward rebuilding not just homes, but hope.

Photo: Typhoon Tino aftermath aerial snapshot of Homonhon Island (Photo courtesy of OCD VIII/EOC-IMT Guiuan posted on Municipality of Guiuan, Eastern Samar official Facebook page)