Camille Naredo

Waist-deep floods inundated a stretch of N.S. Amoranto Street in Quezon City on July 21, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Waist-deep floods inundated a stretch of N.S. Amoranto Street in Quezon City on July 21, 2025. PAGASA is currently monitoring two Low Pressure Areas affecting the country—one located 1,120 km east of Southeastern Luzon and another 405 km east of Calayan, Cagayan.

The enhanced southwest monsoon is expected to bring moderate to heavy, at times intense, rains over Metro Manila, CALABARZON, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, and Occidental Mindoro.

Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Habagat amid Crising

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175316809123520250721-habagat-flooding-amoranto-MD2276.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Waist-deep floods inundated a stretch of N.S. Amoranto Street in Quezon City on July 21, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News"/>Waist-deep floods inundated a stretch of N.S. Amoranto Street in Quezon City on July 21, 2025. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</div>MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has activated Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites across the country as forward-operating hubs in response to Severe Tropical Storm (STS) Crising and the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat.Acting on the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. through Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., AFP chief of staff General Romeo Brawner Jr. announced the mobilization of EDCA sites for humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations.The EDCA sites will serve as staging areas for prepositioning rescue equipment and consolidating relief goods.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/7/22/habagat-dumps-almost-a-month-s-rain-in-cavite-2-weeks-of-rain-in-qc-1049">READ: Habagat dumps almost a month&#x27;s rain in Cavite, two weeks of rain in QC</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/7/22/pagasa-monitoring-three-low-pressure-areas-1155">READ: PAGASA monitoring three low pressure areas</a></div>&quot;We are working closely with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) to make sure our efforts are aligned and effective—bringing government agencies together in a whole-of-nation approach,&quot; Brawner said in a statement.&quot;Using these forward-operating hubs allows us to deliver aid faster and more efficiently to our fellow Filipinos, especially in hard-hit and remote areas. This kind of rapid response can spell the difference between life and death,&quot; he continued.&quot;We are in close coordination with the US Indo-Pacific Command to ensure seamless interoperability as we utilize these shared facilities, transport and airlift assets in this mission,&quot; the AFP chief noted.According to PAGASA, the monsoon rains on Monday dumped almost a month&#x27;s worth of rainfall in Cavite City and more than two weeks of rain in Quezon City.PAGASA is also monitoring three low pressure areas in and outside the Philippine area of responsibility as of Tuesday.Brawner also highlighted the broader significance of leveraging EDCA sites—not just as a logistical move, but as a reaffirmation of the military&#x27;s core mission to protect the Filipino people.&quot;In every storm, our nation&#x27;s true strength is not measured by how much we can endure the winds, but by how quickly and wholeheartedly we come to each other&#x27;s aid,&quot; Brawner said.&quot;The AFP is leveraging every available advantage, including our strong alliances and strategic infrastructure, to fulfill our most sacred mandate of serving and protecting our people,&quot; he added.In a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, AFP spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla emphasized the EDCA sites&#x27; multi-role function, citing their use in previous calamities.&quot;Foremost, EDCA sites, as a background to that, [are] multi-role facilities. The last na nagkaroon tayo ng ganitong sakuna, meron tayong EDCA sites na ginamit for repacking of goods and yung mga relief operations as command and control hubs. So, for this, at this point in time, kung ano yung EDCAsite na malapit sa most afflicted areas, we will be using them,&quot; Padilla told reporters.&quot;The last time that we had yung apat na bagyo na sunud-sunod, we already used the EDCA sites for that, particularly the one in Fort Magsaysay. Fort Magsaysay is the largest military reservation that we have. So, mas madali yung coordination doon because a lot of major units are there and it was also used for, in coordination with the DSWD, para sa repacking ng goods,&quot; she added.While the EDCA is an agreement designed to boost security cooperation between the Philippines and the US, Padilla clarified that permission was neither sought nor needed to utilize the sites for HADR operations.&quot;We do not seek permission but we are coordinating,&quot; the official said.The said coordination includes the potential use of US air assets to assist in search and rescue operations, she added.Aside from the US, the AFP is also engaging other allied nations, anticipating additional aid and support.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/21/ph-taps-us-japan-forces-in-rescue-relief-efforts-for-crising-habagat-victims-2209">READ: PH taps US, Japan forces in rescue, relief efforts for Crising, habagat victims</a></div>&quot;Yun naman talaga ang strengthened alliances natin with like-minded nations and well-meaning nations. Even when we do our exercises, kasama diyan yung HADR operations. In fact, that&#x27;s one big chunk of the exercises that we have with different allied nations. So, kasama na ‘yan every time na may ganitong mga sakuna. It goes to show that their commitment is there as well,&quot; Padilla noted.&quot;So, last time na meron tayong malalaking bagyo, yung sunud-sunod nga yung apat, di ba other ASEAN nations also came to the rescue? So, we are expecting more aid also from other alliances that we have,&quot; she said.<div> </div><div>&#x27;NASAAN ANG AFP?&#x27;</div>Padilla also assured the public that the military has been fully engaged in ground operations and coordination with various government and non-government agencies, amid questions regarding their presence during the destruction caused by Crising and the habagat.&quot;Yung AFP, we are not just everywhere, we are &#x27;everywhen,&#x27;&quot; said Padilla. According to Padilla, the AFP has already deployed 33 Disaster Risk Task Units (DRTUs) and Search, Rescue and Retrieval (SRR) teams in severely affected areas in Northern Luzon and Visayas.In addition, 16 land assets, including KM450 trucks and general-purpose vehicles, have been mobilized in these areas to support ground operations and relief efforts.Padilla added, a total of 1,191 DRTU and SRR teams composed of 12,907 personnel from all major services and unified commands remain on standby.The military has also readied 1,027 land assets, military trucks, ambulances and general-purpose vehicles; 48 air assets, both rotary and fixed wing; and 25 sea assets across Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao for any emergency deployment.&quot;In Metro Manila, the National Capital Region Command or the NCRCOM deployed military vehicles to flood-stricken areas in Malabon, Navotas, and Quezon City as part of its ongoing Libreng Sakay operations to facilitate the safe and orderly transport of stranded residents,&quot; the AFP spokesperson said.Padilla appealed for public understanding, emphasizing that some of the military personnel were themselves affected by the weather disturbances, particularly those in Northern Luzon, Central Luzon and Visayas.She further clarified that the AFP&#x27;s efforts are not limited to disaster alone. The military is also preparing for the upcoming State of the Nation Address (SONA), maintaining internal security and territorial defense, and countering malign foreign influence.&quot;Lahat ito, sabay-sabay nating ginagampanan, &#x27;no? Some may call it multitasking, but we call it Tuesday. It&#x27;s just another day for the Armed Forces of the Philippines because when duty calls from separate directions—kung saan man, all of these—the Armed Forces of the Philippines will not choose, we will answer them all,&quot; Padilla said.

The AFP has activated Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites across the country as forward-operating hubs in response to Severe Tropical Storm Crising and the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat.

The AFP has activated Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement sites across the country as forward-operating hubs in response to Severe Tropical Storm Crising and the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat.

AFP activates EDCA sites for disaster response amid Crising, habagat

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AFP activates EDCA sites for disaster response amid Crising, habagat

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 22, 2025 03:09 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 22, 2025 04:57 PM PHT

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