Camille Naredo

Flooding in Occidental Mindoro due to habagat. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

HABAGAT

Dennis Datu

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1783873461250viber_image_2026-07-13_00-04-45-487.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Flooding in Occidental Mindoro due to habagat. Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Flooding in Occidental Mindoro due to habagat. <em>Dennis Datu, ABS-CBN News</em></span></span></span></div><p>CALINTAAN, Occidental Mindoro -- Residents and local officials are appealing to the national government to immediately complete long-delayed flood control projects across Occidental Mindoro.</p><p>This, as massive flooding inundates five towns in the province due to torrential rains brought by the southwest monsoon or habagat.</p><p>Several barangays in the municipalities of San Jose, Magsaysay, Rizal, Calintaan, and Sablayan were submerged by floodwaters on Friday, displacing families and causing extensive damage to farmlands and livelihoods.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/7/12/inday-enhanced-monsoon-rains-unleash-severe-flooding-across-occidental-mindoro-0022">READ: Inday-enhanced monsoon rains unleash severe flooding across Occidental Mindoro</a></div><p>In Sitio Gutad, Barangay Tanyag in Calintaan, farmers blamed the unfinished flood control structures for the continued destruction of their agricultural lands.</p><p>They said more than 10 hectares of rice fields have already been swallowed by the rapidly eroding Lumintao River, forcing some farmers to abandon agriculture and seek work elsewhere.</p><p>&quot;Yung iba lumuwas na ng Maynila dahil wala na rin kabuhayan na sasakahin dito, dahil kinain na ng ilog. Yung iba naghanap ng trabaho sa San Jose,&quot; said Barangay Councilor Abner Apolinario, who is also a farmer.</p><p>When the southwest monsoon  intensified on Friday, the Lumintao River overflowed once again, washing away even more farmland.</p><p>Farmer Rudy Mina, who owns two hectares of rice fields, fears little can be salvaged after his newly planted crops were buried in thick mud.</p><p>&quot;Yung bagong tanim kapag dinaanan ng baha lupaypay yan tapos dumidikit sa putik, kung may makabangon man eh isa o dalawa na lang, ilan na lang ang bubunga,&quot; Mina said.</p><p>Fearing the continued loss of their farms and the growing threat to nearby communities, farmers are calling on the national government, particularly the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), to complete the stalled flood control projects.</p><p>&quot;Matagal na naming hinihiling [na] malagyan ng flood control project ito, gabion, o basta pangharang sa baha sa panahon ng bagyo o tag-ulan, kasi hindi lang kabuhayan kagaya ng palayan ang maaaring mawala. Ang diretso nito ay residential area, mas delikado. Hindi lang kabuhayan, pati buhay ng tao ang malalagay sa panganib,&quot; Apolinario added.</p><p>Flooding has become a recurring problem in many parts of Occidental Mindoro whenever the southwest monsoon or tropical cyclones trigger the rapid swelling of rivers.</p><p>The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said the government must not only finish flood control projects but also ensure they are built to withstand the powerful currents that regularly batter the province.</p><p>&quot;Panawagan natin sa national government na kung may mga naumpisahan na at matiyak din natin yung ginagawang flood control ay resilient doon sa lakas ng tubig na posibleng bumangga sa kaniya, dahil nasasayang ang proyekto kapag siya ay hindi matatag,&quot; said Mario Mulingbayan, head of the Occidental Mindoro PDRRMO.</p><p>On Sunday morning, more than 25 meters of a gabion wall along the Lumintao River in Barangay New Dagupan, Calintaan, collapsed after being undermined by strong river currents.</p><p>Barangay Chairman Jarwin Briones said the project began in 2022 and was completed in 2023.</p><p>He warned that if the damaged section is not repaired immediately, the community of Isla Noah could face severe flooding.</p><p>&quot;Matibay po pagkakagawa nyan, problema po sa lakas ng current sa ilalim lumiyad po siya kaya bumigay itong side ng likod nito,&quot; Briones explained.</p><p>&quot;Sana po ito ay maaksyonan, maayos para madugtungan pa, para hindi mangangamba ang ating mga kababayan na dito sa Isla Noah. Nag-request din po ako para sa phase 2 sa region,&quot; he added.</p><p>More than 180 families, or over 600 individuals, were forced to evacuate as floodwaters swept through several areas of Occidental Mindoro.</p><p>Authorities are continuing to assess the full extent of the damage to agriculture and public infrastructure across the province.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OOuvxV1DMRk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>Residents and local officials are appealing to the national government to immediately complete long-delayed flood control projects across Occidental Mindoro, as massive flooding inundates five towns in the province.</p>

Residents and local officials are appealing to the national government to immediately complete long-delayed flood control projects across Occidental Mindoro, as massive flooding inundates five towns in the province.

Residents urge national government to complete flood control projects as monsoon floods devastate Occidental Mindoro

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Residents urge national government to complete flood control projects as monsoon floods devastate Occidental Mindoro

Dennis Datu,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 13, 2026 12:26 AM PHT

Read More:

habagat

Occidental Mindoro

flood control projects

flooding

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