World · Philippines Bureau
DSWD heightens alert as southwest monsoon impacts Luzon, Visayas
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has escalated its monitoring status as the prolonged southwest monsoon continues to affect communities across multiple regions. The heightened alert follows directives from the national disaster risk reduction body.
LSN Philippines ·
MANILA — The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has raised its alert status to monitor the extended effects of the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, across vulnerable areas in Luzon and the Visayas.
The agency's heightened alert posture was implemented in compliance with Memorandum 237, series of 2026, issued by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), which sets operational guidelines for disaster response and social welfare management during weather emergencies.
The DSWD remains positioned to coordinate rapid assistance and relief operations for affected populations, with particular focus on communities susceptible to flooding, landslides, and other weather-related hazards. The agency is coordinating with local government units and partner agencies to ensure adequate preparedness measures.
The southwest monsoon typically brings heavy rainfall to western portions of the Philippine archipelago during the June-September period, though prolonged effects can extend relief operations and social assistance needs across multiple weeks.