Over 1K houses damaged

Typhoon “Uwan” (international name: Fung-wong) left a wide swath of destruction across Luzon and parts of the Visayas, damaging over 1,000 homes, submerging more than 130 barangays, and cutting off four coastal towns in Aurora province after days of torrential rain and fierce winds.

The latest data from the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) showed 1,085 houses damaged nationwide — 89 totally and 996 partially — as “Uwan” battered communities from the Bicol Peninsula up to the Ilocos Region over the weekend.

The typhoon’s powerful winds toppled trees, downed power lines, and triggered widespread flooding in 132 barangays, many of them in low-lying towns of Central Luzon and the Bicol Region. Some areas in Metro Manila reported knee-deep water following hours of continuous rain.

In Aurora province, where “Uwan” made one of its most forceful landfalls, the municipalities of Casiguran, Dipaculao, Dinalungan and Dilasag remain isolated after multiple landslides buried sections of key access roads, halting rescue and relief efforts. Provincial officials said clearing operations are ongoing, but heavy debris and unstable slopes are slowing progress.

“Our teams are trying to reach the isolated barangays, but some roads are still impassable. Power and communication remain intermittent,” said OCD Deputy Administrator Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, noting that the government’s rapid response teams are coordinating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to restore immediate access.

Across the country, more than 1.4 million people — roughly 426,000 families — were preemptively evacuated before the storm hit, according to the OCD. Around 6,000 evacuation centers are currently open, sheltering 318,000 individuals displaced by flooding and storm surges.

Two fatalities have been confirmed: one in Viga, Catanduanes, who drowned in a flash flood, and the other in Catbalogan, Samar, who was struck by debris from a collapsed structure. Two others were reported injured.

In addition to flooding, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) reported landslides in several mountainous areas of Northern Luzon, while the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said storm surges as high as three meters inundated coastal barangays in Zambales, Pangasinan and Bataan.

The DPWH mobilized 165 personnel and 10 heavy equipment units to conduct clearing and road repair operations across Regions I, II, III, V and VIII. At least 15 road networks remain impassable.

As of Monday, power interruptions were reported in 155 local government units, though restoration has begun in several areas. Water supply was disrupted in 13 LGUs, while intermittent communication lines continue to challenge coordination in isolated towns.

The national government has released P2.6 billion in standby funds and stockpiles from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and OCD to assist affected local governments. The DSWD said P6.4-million worth of food packs had been distributed in the hardest-hit regions, including Calabarzon, Bicol, Negros Island and Caraga.

Authorities warned that despite Uwan’s exit from the Philippine landmass, residual rains and the saturated ground could still trigger flooding and landslides in Northern and Central Luzon.

“The typhoon may have moved on, but its impact remains. Our teams on the ground are ensuring that no community is left behind,” Alejandro said.

PNP deploys 26K personnel

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed 25,878 personnel nationwide to assist in evacuation, road clearing, and disaster response operations after “Uwan” battered Luzon and the Visayas.

PNP OIC Chief P/Lt.Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez directed all police commanders to secure evacuation centers, help residents return home, and prioritize road clearing to ensure the smooth delivery of relief goods, especially in Bicol and Eastern Visayas, among the hardest-hit areas.

An additional 13,190 officers from the Reactionary Standby Support Force are on alert, supported by 1,219 vehicles and equipment prepositioned in critical locations. In evacuation centers, over 2,100 personnel, including 400 Women and Children Protection Desk officers, are maintaining order and ensuring the safety of evacuees.

The PNP Maritime Group and its regional units are assisting stranded passengers at the ports, where heavy rains and winds disrupted sea travel.

Nartatez said all field units in Luzon and the Visayas remain on full alert, continually monitoring their areas and supporting ongoing evacuation, rescue, and clearing operations.

Navy on high alert

The Philippine Navy (PN) has placed all its units on heightened alert to render humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the wake of “Uwan.”

In a statement Monday, the Navy said all disaster response, rescue, communications, and medical teams are on standby for immediate deployment.

Units based in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City, as well as Naval Base Heracleo Alano and Naval Station Pascual Ledesma in Cavite City, have conducted readiness checks to ensure all personnel, vehicles, and equipment are in tip-top shape.

“The PN remains steadfast in its mission of service, security, and humanitarian assistance — always ready to protect and support the Filipino people amid calamities,” the statement said.