Commuters wade through a flooded street triggered by heavy monsoon rains in Manila on August 17, 2026. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
Manila: Around 5.08 million people across 10 regions in the Philippines have suffered from extreme rainfall brought by tropical cyclones and monsoon rains, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said Monday.
The OCD reported about 1.45 million affected families, with 24,893 people seeking shelter in 523 evacuation centers. The government has provided 734.1 million pesos (about 11.93 million U.S. dollars) in aid so far.
The extreme weather has claimed 23 lives, injured 17 others and left one person missing. It also damaged 1,863 houses, including 182 destroyed, according to the OCD on Monday.
The government has also suspended in-person classes in Metro Manila and 12 other provinces as heavy rains from tropical cyclones and the southwest monsoon continue to batter the country, local media reported on Monday.
According to Memorandum Circular No. 127 issued by the presidential office on Monday, schools and government agencies in affected areas were directed to adopt alternative work arrangements, except for frontline services such as health, disaster response and other essential functions.
At least 50 cities and towns have declared a state of calamity, with Pampanga and Cavite placing all their municipalities under the status, according to the Office of Civil Defense.
The extreme rainfall has triggered severe flooding and landslides across the nation. The well-known flood-control corruption scandal has left key infrastructure unfinished or poorly maintained, further straining the country's disaster response, local media reported.
