ITOGON, Benguet -- Heavy rains brought by five successive weather disturbances and the enhanced southwest monsoon affected 227 families, or 874 people, in Itogon, the municipal government reported as of 7 September 2026.

The prolonged rains damaged 81 homes and prompted 68 families, or 351 people, to evacuate voluntarily.

Mayor Bernard Waclin, the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office and local disaster risk reduction and management councils conducted damage assessments and distributed relief across the municipality’s nine barangays.

Barangay Ampucao recorded 65 affected families and five partially damaged houses. In Loacan, 47 families were affected, while five houses were destroyed and 16 others were partially damaged.

Gumatdang recorded 46 affected families, while Poblacion listed 44 affected families and two partially damaged houses.

In Tuding, 26 families were affected, with one house destroyed and five others partially damaged. Virac recorded 16 affected families and 13 partially damaged houses.

Ucab reported 10 affected families, seven destroyed houses and 25 partially damaged homes. Tinongdan recorded four affected families, while Dalupirip listed one affected family and one partially damaged house.

The MSWDO distributed 238 food packs and hygiene kits across Itogon. The Benguet provincial government provided 200 five-kilogram packs of rice, while the Office of Civil Defense in the Cordillera Administrative Region supplied fuel assistance and nonfood items.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development also provided cash assistance to affected residents in Gumatdang, Virac, Tuding and Loacan. The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office distributed additional nonfood relief items.

No casualties were reported. Municipal officials attributed the outcome to community preparedness and residents’ compliance with voluntary evacuation advisories in high-risk areas.

Waclin thanked government agencies and residents for coordinating during the emergency response.