More than 3.73 million people have now been affected by the combined impact of tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and the southwest monsoon, or habagat, according to the Office of Civil Defense.
In its latest update on Thursday, August 13, the OCD said the affected population is equivalent to nearly 1.09 million families across 3,637 barangays. The impact spans multiple regions, including Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Calabarzon, Cordillera Administrative Region, Metro Manila, and Mimaropa.
Evacuation efforts are still ongoing, with 533 evacuation centers currently housing around 15,017 families, or 53,570 individuals. For many communities, the danger has not ended with the rain itself, as flooding, damaged homes, blocked roads, and disrupted livelihoods continue to weigh on families trying to recover.
Government assistance has so far reached more than ₱458 million for affected areas. But the scale of the disaster shows how wide the need remains, especially for evacuees, families whose homes were damaged, and residents in areas still vulnerable to flooding and landslides.
The OCD said the reported death toll remains under validation at 21, with 15 in Benguet and three each in Rizal and Batangas. Authorities also recorded 14 injured and three missing, while the number of damaged houses has reached around 1,339.
For affected residents, the priority remains safety: follow local evacuation orders, avoid flooded roads and unstable slopes, and monitor official advisories as weather systems and monsoon rains continue to affect parts of the country. Relief is moving, but for more than a million families, recovery is only beginning.
Image from The Manila Times