ILOILO City – Tropical Storm “Ramil” battered Capiz over the weekend, leaving a grim wake of deaths, floods, and infrastructure failures that underscored the province’s vulnerability to extreme weather and its need for more resilient public works.
Two people drowned, dozens were rescued from chest-deep waters, and several major roads and bridges were damaged as relentless rains triggered landslides and widespread flooding across multiple towns.
Authorities identified one of the fatalities as 23-year-old vlogger Mae Urdelas, who was swept away by floodwaters while crossing a creek in Sitio Bagaas, Barangay Malocloc Sur, Ivisan, on Saturday afternoon. Her body was recovered about a kilometer downstream after nearly three hours of search.
By late Sunday afternoon, another fatality — a 44-year-old resident of Barangay Dinginan, Roxas City — was reported drowned amid rising floodwaters, local officials said.
Infrastructure collapses under pressure
The storm’s impact was felt most in the town of Sigma, where a portion of the road in Barangay Mianay gave way after continuous rainfall softened the ground. Only motorcycles and tricycles could pass through the area.
“We advise drivers of large vehicles to steer clear of the area,” warned Mayor Dante Eslabon, who personally joined Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) engineers and Municipal Engineer John Lyndon Jarencio to inspect the site.
The team also examined a massive sinkhole in Barangay Ibia-an, which has rendered the route impassable.
“The bridge in Sitio Ibian is unsafe and can only accommodate light vehicles with extreme caution,” Eslabon added, urging motorists to observe safety measures as engineers evaluate the extent of the damage.
The local government is now coordinating with the DPWH for immediate rehabilitation and long-term structural interventions to prevent future collapses.
Flooding paralyzes transport and commerce
In Panitan town, floodwaters rose up to 20 centimeters, submerging sections of the national road in Barangay Agkilo and halting traffic flow.
The Panitan Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) said it remains on alert, closely monitoring road and river conditions and coordinating with regional agencies for response and clearing operations.
Roxas City was among the hardest-hit areas, with responders under Mayor Ronnie Dadivas working through the night to rescue residents trapped in flooded homes. Floodwaters reached chest-deep levels in some barangays before slowly receding by Sunday morning.
Though the flood subsided, large portions of the city remain littered with debris and damaged asphalt, reflecting what local observers describe as chronic weaknesses in drainage and flood management systems.
Landslide and renewed warnings
In Ivisan, a landslide in Sitio Manaulan compounded the disaster, prompting authorities to issue warnings for residents to remain alert for potential ground movement and secondary flooding.
Local disaster officials have since reminded the public to avoid crossing rivers and creeks during heavy rainfall, citing the drowning of Urdelas as a reminder of the hazards brought by flash floods.
Call for resilience and accountability
As clean-up and repair operations continue across the province, questions arise about Capiz’s preparedness and the structural soundness of its infrastructure. The twin tragedies, coupled with the extensive road and bridge damage, have reignited calls for climate-resilient public works and stronger enforcement of flood control standards.
Disaster officials stress that Capiz’s geography makes it highly prone to hydrological hazards, but better planning and maintenance can prevent the same cycle of destruction./PN