What began as a familiar stretch of monsoon rains quickly turned into one of the most punishing weather episodes the Philippines has seen in recent years. The combined force of multiple habagat tropical cyclones—Crising, Dante, Emong—and the intensified southwest monsoon has left over six million Filipinos affected across dozens of provinces. Streets became rivers. Homes vanished under mud. And for many families, July will be remembered not for storms alone, but for the silence left behind.
Official figures from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirm the scale: 31 dead, thousands displaced, and billions of pesos in damages. But statistics only tell part of the story. Behind every number is a household forced to evacuate in the dark, children waking up in classrooms turned into evacuation centers, and farmers staring at drowned crops they’ll never harvest.
The Heavy Toll of the Habagat Tropical Cyclones
Across Luzon, Visayas, and parts of Mindanao, the story repeated itself: relentless rains, landslides, overflowing rivers, and forced evacuations. Over 1,400 barangays were flooded. More than 278,000 people were temporarily relocated, while 53,000 families are still sheltering in evacuation centers or with relatives.
In provinces like Pampanga, Zambales, and parts of Western Visayas, residents struggled not just with water, but with power outages, impassable roads, and the sudden collapse of critical infrastructure. Schools and work were suspended in at least 35 provinces, and air and sea travel was paralyzed for days.
The economic fallout is brutal. Damage to infrastructure alone is estimated at over ₱5 billion, with agriculture losses pegged at ₱484 million—a heavy blow to communities that rely on rice fields, fishing boats, and livestock for survival.
And yet, these numbers are still unfolding. Local officials are now racing to assess long-term damage, restore electricity, and secure enough food and clean water for the displaced. The shadow of more storms forming in the Pacific isn’t helping the anxiety.
The repeated punch of these habagat tropical cyclones has once again exposed the vulnerabilities in the country’s flood control systems and disaster response strategies. While relief efforts are underway, many Filipinos are left asking: will next year be worse?
