Philippines records 10.5bil pesos infrastructure damage due to south-west monsoon, cyclones with death toll at 37

The Star

2 days ago

FILE PHOTO: Maica Mendoza, 25, is partially submerged in floodwater at a village inundated by high tide, and flooding brought by monsoon rains and Typhoon Co-may, in Calumpit, Bulacan, Philippines, July 25, 2025. Over 1,400 infrastructure facilities in 10 regions across the country were damaged by the combined effects of the habagat and tropical cyclones Crising (international name: Wipha), Dante (Francisco), and Emong (Co-may). - Reuters
MANILA: Infrastructure damage caused by the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, and recent tropical cyclones has reached over P10.5 billion (US$180.2 million), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Friday (Aug 1).
Based on NDRRMC's situational report, 1,438 infrastructure facilities in 10 regions across the country were damaged by the combined effects of the habagat and tropical cyclones Crising (international name: Wipha), Dante (Francisco), and Emong (Co-may).
The overall infrastructure damage nationwide has reached P10,594,409,072.32 as of 6 a.m. Friday, the NDRRMC said.
The largest portions of the damage were reported in Central Luzon (over P3.8 billion) and the Ilocos Region (P3.1 billion).
The Cordillera Administrative Region logged more than P1.2 billion in infrastructure damage, while Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) reported over P1 billion in losses.
Two infrastructures in Northern Mindanao were affected by the bad weather, but the damage did not contribute to the total cost.
The NDRRMC also reported that 736 road sections and 43 bridges, as well as 55,550 houses, were damaged nationwide.
Meanwhile, agriculture losses now amount to P2.2 billion, the agency added.
As of Friday morning, the death toll from the recent weather disturbances remains at 37, the NDRRMC said.
Meanwhile, the number of injuries rose to 33, up from 22 on Thursday.
The NDRRMC said eight persons remain missing as of this writing.
A total of 2,272,696 families or 8,263,199 individuals, across the country, were affected. Of these, 27,516 families or 102,060 individuals, are still staying in evacuation centers.
Currently, the southwest monsoon continues to bring rain showers to large parts of the country, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Pagasa added that the low-pressure area being monitored, which has a 'high' chance of developing into a tropical depression, may enter the Philippine area of responsibility and become the first cyclone in the country this August. - Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN