Marilyn Cahatol

People wade through a flooded street in Manila on July 21, 2025, as enhanced southwest monsoon brought heavy rains and flooding to different parts of the Philippines. Five people were confirmed dead while seven have been reported missing, according to the country's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.   Ted Aljibe, AFP

Article (news)

HABAGAT FLOODING

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175333862993220250721-habagat-flooding-manila-AFP (2).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">People wade through a flooded street in Manila on July 21, 2025, as enhanced southwest monsoon brought heavy rains and flooding to different parts of the Philippines. Five people were confirmed dead while seven have been reported missing, according to the country&#x27;s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. <em>Ted Aljibe, AFP </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday urged Filipinos to &quot;shift their mindset&quot; from reacting to disasters to preparing for them as the new normal.</p><p>Speaking to reporters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Marcos emphasized the need for long-term adaptation and rapid response in the face of intensifying weather disturbances.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/23/list-more-areas-now-under-state-of-calamity-due-to-onslaught-of-habagat-1829">LIST: More areas now under state of calamity due to onslaught of habagat</a></div><p>&quot;Palitan na natin ang pag-iisip natin. Hindi ito unusual, hindi ito emergency. Ito ngayon talaga ang panahon. Ang estimate sa bagyo dito sa Pilipinas sa taong ito ay 12 to 15 na bagyo. Naka-tatlo na tayo. To be conservative, ibig sabihin, isang dosena pa ito na dadating, kaya’t huwag na nating isipin na baka magkabagyo,” Marcos noted.</p><p>Marcos presided over a meeting at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Headquarters to assess the country’s current situation amid inclement weather due to Tropical Storm Dante, Typhoon Emong and the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/7/24/emong-maintains-strength-as-it-heads-to-northern-luzon-0919">Emong strengthens into a typhoon as it heads to northern Luzon</a></div><p>Some areas could not be entered yet as they are still submerged in floods, according to the president.</p><p>“Unfortunately, we are at the mercy of the weather, at may areas na hindi pa natin mapasok. Maghihintay tayo bumaba ang tubig, but we are finding ways kahit may baha, may rubber boats. Magpadala ng doctor at relief goods. I-evacuate ang tao. So, we just continue to do what we always do,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;SEMI-PERMANENT&#x27; SOLUTIONS</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>While relief efforts are ongoing—including distribution of food and medicine, road clearing and power restoration—Marcos noted that the government is also looking for sustainable solutions to long-standing issues.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2025/7/24/philippines-shuts-schools-scraps-flights-as-typhoon-emong-nears-1344">Philippines shuts schools, scraps flights as typhoon Emong nears</a></div><p>“We are now having to think more of mitigation—ano ang mga pwedeng gawin para matulungan ang mga biktima? In the longer term, kailangan nating mag-isip tungkol sa adaptation... SOP ulit, may plano para sa eskwelahan, marami tayong health centers at medical teams, alam na natin ang gagawin, but we have to make those arrangements almost semi-permanent because this will happen,&quot; he explained.</p><p>&quot;It will happen this year, it will happen next year, it will happen the year after that. So, we have to think in those terms,” he added.</p><p>He also expressed concern over health risks in crowded evacuation centers.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/7/25/children-and-disasters-how-to-take-care-of-kids-while-stuck-in-evacuation-centers-1311">Children and disasters: How to take care of kids while stuck in evacuation centers</a></div><p>“The other thing I was concerned about, nakita ko sa evacuation centers, since napaka-congested, yung sakit. Pag isa lang diyan magkakasalit, kakalat nang napakabilis ‘yan. We are making sure that every evacuation center has a medical team composed of national government doctors and nurses, and also local,” Marcos said. </p><p>“Ang trabaho lang talaga sa national ay tiyakin ang sapat na supply ng mga gamit at gamot. That’s what we are doing now,” he continued.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>NEW NORMAL</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The president stressed that Filipinos need to accept that typhoons are no longer seasonal or predictable.</p><p>Looking ahead, he underscored the importance of institutionalizing preparedness and infrastructure.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/23/crising-habagat-leaves-p4-2-billion-damage-in-infrastructure-agriculture-1527">Crising, habagat leaves P4.2-billion damage in infrastructure, agriculture</a></div><p>“Tayo kasi noong bata tayo, maliwanag kailan ang typhoon season, saan nagbabaha. Ngayon, hindi na ganun. Nagbago lahat, and we have to see paano na kapag dumating ang bagyo dahil darating at darating iyan. That is a fact of climate change,&quot; Marcos said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/24/marcos-seeks-alternative-teaching-ways-after-class-suspensions-1420">Marcos seeks ‘alternative teaching ways’ after class suspensions</a></div><p>Marcos further said that the country continues to learn and do better from every typhoon.</p><p>“We are using the lessons we have learned from the previous storms,” he noted.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1hZ23OohZV8?si=TQsmp6h24NqJdhUi" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>“Tayo kasi noong bata tayo, maliwanag kailan ang typhoon season, saan nagbabaha. Ngayon, hindi na ganun. Nagbago lahat, and we have to see paano na kapag dumating ang bagyo dahil darating at darating iyan. That is a fact of climate change," President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said.</p>

“Tayo kasi noong bata tayo, maliwanag kailan ang typhoon season, saan nagbabaha. Ngayon, hindi na ganun. Nagbago lahat, and we have to see paano na kapag dumating ang bagyo dahil darating at darating iyan. That is a fact of climate change," President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. said.

Marcos says Filipinos need mindset shift as typhoons become inevitable

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Marcos says Filipinos need mindset shift as typhoons become inevitable

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 24, 2025 03:05 PM PHT

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Updated Jul 24, 2025 03:16 PM PHT

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