DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian (left) visited evacuees at Barangay Manresa Covered Court in Quezon City at around 12:25 p.m. on Tuesday noon, 18 August 2026.
Photographed by Sean Magbanua for the Daily Tribune
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The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - National Capital Region reported more than 22,000 individuals affected by southwest monsoon or Habagat remain in 121 evacuation centers in Metro Manila on Tuesday afternoon.
Latest Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) report of the DSWD revealed that 22,502 persons from 6,311 families were still occupying 121 open evacuation centers in Metro Manila as of 3 p.m. Tuesday (18 August).
“Ang mga apektadong pamilya ay pansamantalang nanunuluyan sa mga evacuation center habang patuloy na tinutugunan ang kanilang mga pangunahing pangangailangan,” the DSWD NCR stated in a social media post.
(The affected families are temporarily staying in evacuation centers while their basic needs continue to be addressed.)
Through its Disaster Response Management Division (DRMD), the DSWD-NCR office reiterated its continued coordination with local government units to ensure an immediate response and provide the necessary support to internally displaced persons (IDPs).
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian personally visited hundreds of evacuees at the Barangay Manresa Covered Court, which is currently being used as an evacuation center, at around 12:25 p.m. Tuesday.
During his visit, the DSWD provided hot meals and distributed Family Food Packs (FFPs) and Ready-to-Eat Foods (RTEFs) to the evacuees.
“44,000 families pero ngayon gumagalaw ang numero, in fact marami sa mga nakausap ko [ay] palikap na,” Gatchalian told reporters in a media interview.
“Sabi nila kasi bumababa na yung tubig sa lugar nila,” he added.
(There are 44,000 families affected by the Habagat in Metro Manila, but the number is changing. In fact, many of those I spoke with are already returning home.They said the water in their areas is already subsiding.)
The DSWD Secretary, meanwhile, recognized the Quezon City local government and Barangay Manresa for quickly establishing evacuation centers yesterday, Monday, following the rainfalls and floods caused by the Habagat.
