The Philippines, one of the worldโs most disaster-prone countries, is again reeling under the impact of another tropical cyclone. Typhoon Tino โ the 20th storm to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this year โ swept across parts of the Visayas and Mindanao on Tuesday, bringing torrential rains, fierce winds, and renewed concerns about how climate change is reshaping the countryโs weather patterns.
The storm, internationally known as Kalmaegi, made its way into PAR late last week, intensifying rapidly into a typhoon as it drew strength from the unusually warm waters of the Pacific. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) raised multiple tropical cyclone wind signals across Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao, warning residents of landslides, flash floods, and storm surges.
Government data show that Tino is the 20th tropical cyclone to affect the Philippines in 2025 โ a figure that, experts say, reflects the increasing volatility of the countryโs climate. On average, the archipelago experiences around 20 cyclones annually, but in recent years, storms have tended to form earlier, intensify faster, and dump heavier rainfall, a pattern consistent with global climate trends.
โTyphoons get their energy from evaporating water,โ Dr. Gerry Bagtasa of the University of the Philippines explained. โWhen water evaporates from the sea, it forms clouds. And when the temperature is warmer, the evaporation is faster and much more water gets evaporated. And your typhoon also gets more energy.โ
The Philippines sits on the so-called Typhoon Belt in the western Pacific, making it a natural target for tropical storms forming over warm ocean waters. Yet, beyond geography, scientists say climate change is amplifying these natural risks. The World Meteorological Organization notes that each degree of sea-surface warming increases the potential intensity of storms, raising both wind speeds and rainfall potential.
Over the 25-year span from 1998 to 2022, the country experienced a total of 457 typhoonsโwhether they formed within, entered, or impacted its territory. Notably, some of the most intense storms occurred during the last decade (2013โ2022).
Rural and coastal communities bear the brunt. In Eastern Samar, one of the first provinces hit by Tino, families living along riverbanks were evacuated as water levels rose overnight. In Zamboanga Sibugay, local officials warned of flash floods and urged residents in low-lying areas to move to safer ground.
Experts see the need to keep guiding communities to be climate-resilient with every storm feels stronger than the last.
With still two months left before the year ends, PAGASA warns more storms could enter the countryโs territory before the season officially winds down. The agency has urged local governments to strengthen early warning systems, improve evacuation planning, and support long-term adaptation programs.
For the Philippines โ where each typhoon is both a test of resilience and a reminder of vulnerability โ Typhoon Tino is another chapter in a growing story of survival against the odds of a changing climate.
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