A low-pressure area was spotted off Batangas on Friday, as the southwest monsoon or “habagat” would continue to bring rains in some parts of the country, the state weather bureau said.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the LPA was last observed at 60 kilometers west of Ambulong, Batangas.
It could mean more misery for some 381,757 families or 1,677,790 persons living in 1,479 barangays across seven regions, including Metro Manila, that have been affected by heavy rains caused by the monsoon enhanced by recent tropical cyclones “Henry,” “Inday,” and “Josie.”
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council executive director Ricardo Jalad, in the agency’s 6 am update Friday, said the affected villages were in Regions 1 (Ilocos), 3 (Central Luzon), 4A (Calabarzon), 4B (Mimaropa), 6 (Western Visayas), Cordillera and the National Capital Region.
Of the affected families, 11,565 or about 47,092 persons, are being helped in 253 evacuation centers while 141, 825 families, or 592,087 individuals, are receiving aid outside evacuation centers.
Jalad said 102 road sections and eight bridges in Regions 1, 3, 4A, 4B, 6, and Cordillera were affected by the monsoon rains. Of these, some 74 road sections and four bridges are now passable.
He said the rainy weather has so far caused flooding in 724 areas in the affected regions, but floodwaters have already receded in 392 locations. About 313 houses were damaged, 61 totally and 252 partially.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, and local government units have extended a total of P47.47 million worth of assistance to affected families in the seven regions.
Due to the southwest monsoon, Palawan, Mindoro, and western Visayas will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms particularly in the late afternoon and evening, Pagasa said.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies, with isolated rain showers brought about by localized thunderstorms.
Temperature in Metro Manila ranges from 25-30 degrees Celsius; Tuguegarao City 25-33 degrees Celsius; Baguio City 16-21 degrees Celsius; Metro Cebu 26-32 degrees Celsius; and Metro Davao 25-33 degrees Celsius.