Special task force to prioritize probe on flood control projects in areas hit by Typhoon Tino—Ombudsman

The Ombudsman tasked a special group to immediately investigate flood-control projects in Typhoon Tino-stricken locations.

“The Office of the Ombudsman stands in mourning with the nation for the lives lost in the devastation caused by Typhoon Tino,” it said in a statement on Friday.

“To the families of all victims of the calamity - we hear you, and we have acted. A special task force previously designated to investigate flood control projects has been instructed to prioritize those projects meant to prevent the onslaught of Typhoon Tino,” it continued. "Justice will be pursued with compassion, diligence, and resolve."

The death toll due to Typhoon Tino has reached 188, with 135 still missing, based on the latest government data.

Over 2 million Filipinos have been affected by Tino's onslaught, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, submerging 115 areas, especially Cebu and the Visayas, and has resulted in about P6.3 million in damage to infrastructure.

On Nov. 6, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national state of calamity due to the typhoon and the upcoming super typhoon Uwan.

Marcos made the declaration to "hasten relief, rehabilitation, and recovery efforts across affected areas by allowing faster access to calamity funds, price controls on basic commodities, and streamlined deployment of national government assistance."