'Paolo' displaces 12K in Aurora

Aurora province is gradually returning to normal after the impacts of Tropical Storm Paolo, with thousands of evacuees beginning to return home and essential services being restored, officials said.

According to data from the Office of Civil Defense Region 3 (OCD3), the storm displaced 7,451 families — approximately 22,120 individuals — across eight municipalities: Baler, Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan, Dingalan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, and San Luis.

Of those, 4,447 families (12,034 individuals) were evacuated to shelters, while an additional 2,957 families were affected but did not require evacuation.

Floodwaters have receded in several affected areas, including Baler, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, and Casiguran. Critical routes, such as the Baler-Casiguran Road and the Marikit-Calangcuasan section in Brgy., are now clear. The Department of Public Works and Highways Aurora District Engineering Office confirmed that all major roads in the province are now passable.

Relief operations are ongoing. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has delivered 5,100 Family Food Packs to the Provincial Evacuation Center. Local government units, including the Provincial Government of Aurora, Municipal Mayors, and Municipal Social Welfare and Development Offices, have distributed aid in Casiguran, Dilasag, and Dinalungan.

Health and safety protocols have also been implemented. In Dingalan, evacuees were able to return home by Oct. 3 following pre-evacuation inspections and rapid health assessments by the Municipal Health Office.

In Baler, the liquor ban has been lifted. All evacuation centers in San Luis were officially closed as of Oct. 4. However, authorities have maintained a ban on water activities in San Luis as a precaution.

The province is now under White Alert status. Response agencies including the Bureau of Fire Protection, Philippine National Police, Philippine Coast Guard, and the 91st Infantry “Sinagtala” Battalion continue to monitor the situation and coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management councils.

Corpus reiterated his call for continued vigilance and preparedness among residents as recovery efforts move forward.