Filipinos show bayanihan spirit as Habagat rains continue to bring floods

GMA Network

4 days ago

The enhanced Southwest Monsoon or Habagat continued to dump rain across the Philippines on Tuesday, with government agencies, churches, civic organizations, companies and regular Filipinos working to help communities through this latest chapter of the Philippines' perennial flooding problem.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government declared that classes will continue to be suspended in Metro Manila and several Luzon provinces, as well as government work except in agencies responsible for basic, vital and health services, preparedness and response duties.
Several local governments have declared a state of calamity, including Quezon City and Manila; Malabon City; and the province of Cavite. The House of Representatives announced that 36 legislative districts—33 in Metro Manila and three in Palawan—will receive P10 million each in AKAP funds.
In Emil Sumangil's report on 24 Oras, an overflowing river stranded motorists in parts of Las Piñas: in Tuazon Village, residents used plastic carriers to transport their neighbors through knee-deep waters as they continued to wait for government aid. Las Piñas River Drive was also submerged by the overflowing river, along with the boundary of Zapote and Bacoor.
On the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), motorists were stranded for hours overnight into Tuesday as the thoroughfare's pumping stations struggled to control the floodwaters.
In Pangasinan, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) is monitoring major river systems after several overflowing rivers caused floods in multiple parts of the province.
Houses were submerged in floodwaters at Barangay Lasip in Calasciao, Pangasinan, causing residents to use makeshift rafts to travel within the area.
Authorities have begun to conduct rescue operations due to the heavy flow of the flood.
'Compared po sa nakaraang taon na baha, medyo mataas po ito at the same time, mabilis po yung pagtaas ng tubig,' said Barangay Lasip Kagawad Mercy Ferrer.
(Compared to flooding in previous years, this year is too high and rose too fast.)
Calasiao MDRRMO also reported that the Marusay River was overflowing, while 17 barangays were already submerged in flood.
'Sa ngayon po, naghahanda po ang ating tanggapan at ang buong lokal na pamahalaan ng Calasciao. Magco-conduct tayo ng forced evacuation sa ating low-lying barangays,' said MDRRMO Calasciao LDRRMO III Kristine Joy Soriano.
(Currently, our office and the entire local government of Calasiao is preparing. We will be conducting forced evacuations for our low-lying barangays.)
Rescuers wade through chest-deep floodwaters in Barangay Lasip, Calasiao, Pangasinan, on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. COURTESY: Calasiao Information Office via GMA Regional TV One North Central Luzon
Magsaysay Fish Market, despite being flooded, continued operations.
In Barangay Anolid, Mangaldan, residents were forced to traverse through floods to be able to reach the central area.
More than 1,700 houses, including Anolid Elementary School, had already been affected by flooding due to the heavy rainfall.
Rescue personnel of the PDRRMO and several local government units are already on standby for immediate response in case of emergencies.
Churches, companies offer aid
Organizations including GMA's Kapuso Foundation, Angat Buhay and Caritas Manila are open to receive donations for storm-hit Filipinos.
Churches have opened their doors to evacuees and are organizing relief operations, while malls continue to offer free parking, WiFi, and the use of charging stations to stranded motorists and commuters.
PLDT-Smart announced they are providing free calls, texts, and 250MB of data to storm-hit subscribers in Angono, Bataan, Bulacan, Cainta, Las Piñas, Marikina, Mindoro, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasig, Tarlac, Taytay, and Zambales.
Grab Philippines, meanwhile, donated motorized rescue boats to the Marikina City government and provided more than 4,000 hot meals to various evacuation centers.
Furry family members were also not forgotten, with groups calling for donations for pets and urging pet owners to include them in their disaster plans.
With red and orange rainfall warnings raised over parts of Luzon—PAGASA forecasts more than 200mm of rainfall in Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, and Occidental Mindoro on Tuesday until Wednesday afternoon from the enhanced Habagat—the state weather bureau is also monitoring Tropical Depression Dante, which may intensify into a tropical storm as it moves north or north-northwest over the Philippine Sea. — BM, GMA Integrated News