President Marcos orders swift government response amid flooding

Residents wade through floodwaters while others use paddle boats in a village in Lingayen, Pangasinan on August 30, 2026.

Cesar Ramirez / The Philippine STAR

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has directed agencies to ensure the timely delivery of aid to communities hit by floods caused by the southwest monsoon and other recent weather disturbances.

Palace press officer Claire Castro said Marcos has been constantly monitoring the situation of people and places affected by the monsoon rain-induced floods.

“In the middle of the heavy rains, he (Marcos) continued to monitor and to issue directives to agencies to ensure the safety of our countrymen and the prompt delivery of assistance,” Castro said in a text message yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged local government units (LGUs) to enforce preemptive and forced evacuations, particularly in areas prone to floods and landslides.

In an advisory issued over the weekend, the DILG urged LGUs to immediately relocate at-risk residents to designated evacuation centers or other safe areas, stressing that early action is critical to prevent casualties and protect communities.

LGUs must prioritize the safety and protection of vulnerable groups, including children, older persons, pregnant women and persons with disabilities, DILG said.

In barangays susceptible to moderate flooding, LGU or disaster and risk reduction personnel must closely monitor water levels and initiate preemptive evacuation when floodwaters are about to reach 0.5 meters, particularly among households along riverbanks vulnerable to erosion and slope undercutting.

In highly flood-prone areas, LGUs must immediately enforce preemptive evacuation protocols and clear obstructions along river channels to ensure the unimpeded flow of floodwaters. Residents are likewise urged to stay away from identified flash flood-prone areas.

For landslide-prone communities, barangays with lower susceptibility should coordinate with upstream communities on landslides that could cause river blockage and trigger debris flows. Moderately susceptible areas must immediately report ground cracks or unusual movement and undertake preemptive evacuation.

In areas highly susceptible to rain-induced landslides, preemptive evacuation is immediately recommended. Residents must not be allowed to return to affected areas until authorities have declared them safe for occupancy.

The DILG, in coordination with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, also called for heightened vigilance in communities within identified lahar hazard zones, including the Pinatubo and Taal Volcano lahar hazard areas.

Thousands of personnel from the Philippine National Police and Bureau of Fire Protection are currently deployed to assist in evacuation centers and flood-affected areas, among others.

The DILG further called on LGUs to ensure that evacuation centers are fully equipped with Camp Coordination and Camp Management facilities and have adequate personnel.

About eight million people or 2.3 million families in 10 regions have been affected by the impact of the enhanced southwest monsoon and Tropical Cyclones Luis, Maymay and Neneng as of last Saturday, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

The weather disturbances have claimed the lives of 32 people while an estimated 25,800 persons have been displaced and have sought refuge in evacuation centers. Nineteen persons have been injured while three others have been reported missing.

Meanwhile, Bishop Daniel Presto of the Diocese of San Fernando, La Union yesterday asked the people not to forget the effects of heavy flooding in the country when they cast their votes in the 2028 elections.

The southwest monsoon and cyclones have also damaged P6.11 billion worth of infrastructure and P2.32 billion worth of agricultural products. The amount of government assistance provided to affected areas has reached P1.65 billion. — Rainier Allan Ronda, Evelyn Macairan