THE combined effects of the southwest monsoon or habagat and tropical cyclone Bising have claimed its first casualty, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday.
In a situational report, the Camp Aguinaldo-based NDRRMC said the fatality was from the National Capital Region (NCR) but did not provide additional details, pending its validation.
“One dead, zero injured, and zero missing persons were reported,” the NDRRMC said.
Earlier reports quoted an official from the Las Pinas City government as saying that a one-year-old child died after being swept away by floodwaters last Tuesday night.
Metro Manila has been experiencing occasional rains in the past days due to the southwest monsoon.
The NDRRMC said the number of people affected by the southwest monsoon and Bising has already breached the 100,000 mark.
As of yesterday morning, the NDRRMC said 32,606 families or 103,274 individuals were affected in the Ilocos region, Central Luzon, Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), and NCR.
Of the number, 1,126 families or 3,445 individuals remain displaced, the NDRRMC said. They are housed at three evacuation centers or are staying with their relatives or friends.
The NDRRMC said 42 areas in Central Luzon and CAR have been flooded. Thirty-five of these areas, all in Central Luzon, remain flooded as of yesterday. Floods in the seven other areas, all in CAR, have already subsided.
The calamity has resulted in the suspension of classes in 247 cities and municipalities — 112 in Ilocos, 44 in Central Luzon, 37 in Calabarzon, 29 in CAR, 16 in NCR, and nine in Cagayan Valley.
The Marikina government announced that preparations are being made during the rainy season to prevent flooding in the city.
Mayor Maan Teodoro said that the local government is prepared for the rainy season, with continuous dredging of the Marikina River and ongoing drainage declogging operations to ensure the proper flow of water and prevent flooding.
Teodoro said that during her first week as mayor, they prioritized visiting the city’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) facility to inspect all available assets and ensure readiness for the ongoing rainy season.
Teodoro added that dredging operations in the Marikina River are ongoing to maintain its carrying capacity and handle large volumes of water during heavy rains and typhoons.
She also mentioned the ongoing project with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which includes slope protection works. The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to improve flood control strategies in the Pasig-Marikina and Cagayan River basins.
“But while that is being done, we have already widened the Marikina River by 100 meters, which is the ideal width of the river so it can handle the huge volume of water coming from upstream when it rains heavily,” the mayor said.
She assured residents that the local government continues to monitor weather updates through Marikina 161 and is prepared to respond to any emergencies during the rainy season.
