By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
MANILA (Worthy News) – A powerful tropical storm devastated the central Philippines Friday, leaving at least 10 people dead and more than 433,000 evacuated, but Christians told Worthy News they saw hope and miracles amid the misery.
Tropical Storm Bualoi, locally known as Opong, slammed into Eastern Samar province Thursday night with winds of 110 kilometers per hour (68 miles per hour), toppling trees and power lines, triggering floods, and damaging homes and infrastructure.
Officials confirmed fatalities in Masbate and Biliran provinces, while at least 13 fishermen remained missing.
Despite the devastation, believers shared testimonies of what they viewed as answered prayer. Gloria Tolentino, a Christian public servant and mother of four, said, “We are still having heavy rain but the wind is getting weak now… Thank God that he hear my plea.”I
Merry Joy Osman, a Christian aid worker with a micro-financing group in Cebu City, told Worthy News she had been stranded by the storm but was eventually able to return home safely.
WIDER IMPACT
Bualoi followed closely after Super Typhoon Ragasa, one of the strongest storms in years, which killed at least 28 people in the northern Philippines and Taiwan before hitting China and weakening over Vietnam.
The latest storm also comes as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. faces public outrage over alleged corruption in flood-control and infrastructure projects, which critics say left communities more vulnerable to extreme weather. Marcos has pledged that “nobody will be spared” from ongoing investigations.
For now, clearing operations continue in hard-hit areas as relief workers struggle to reach isolated communities.
Yet for the Philippines’ millions of Christians, the storm has become both a test of faith and a testimony of God’s presence in the midst of disaster.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
Yemen’s Houthis officially entered the widening Middle East war on Saturday by launching an attack on Israel, while Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it struck a U.S. logistics vessel near Oman, amid fresh reports of American casualties.
A growing chorus of Iranian hardliners is openly calling for the Islamic Republic to pursue nuclear weapons, as internal divisions intensify amid ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel—two nations the regime has long targeted with chants of “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
Finland’s top court has convicted a Christian politician, a Lutheran bishop, and his church foundation of “hate speech” after they published Christian views on homosexuality, sex, and marriage in a pamphlet 22 years ago.
The Pentagon is considering deploying up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East, a move that would significantly strengthen President Donald Trump’s position as his administration confronts the Iranian regime while keeping diplomatic options on the table.
Senate Democrats on March 26 unanimously rejected a Republican-backed amendment to the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act that would have required voters to present photo identification to cast a ballot, marking another flashpoint in the ongoing debate over election integrity.
Senate Republicans are urging Donald Trump to consider declaring a national emergency to ensure Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are paid, as a funding standoff over the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatens to disrupt travel during the busy spring holiday season, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel is now actively focused on “dismantling Hezbollah” as part of its broader campaign against Iran, declaring the military effort remains “in full swing” despite reports suggesting otherwise.