The Manila City Council has declared a state of calamity in 27 flood-hit barangays, allowing affected communities to access local calamity funds for immediate relief following flooding brought by the southwest monsoon or habagat.

The 13th City Council, led by Vice Mayor Chi Atienza, approved Resolution No. 5, Series of 2026, during a special session Friday, Aug. 21.

Sponsored by Majority Floor Leader Raymundo “Mon” Yupangco, the resolution seeks to expedite the release of calamity funds for affected barangays to provide residents with food, medicines and other essential relief goods.

The barangays placed under a state of calamity are 101, 105, 195, 199, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 292, 313, 314, 327, 330, 432, 598, 600, 602, 607, 649, 686, 738, 800, 884, 893, 895 and 903.

Yupangco said the declaration would allow the city to respond more quickly to affected residents, describing the resolution as a concrete step toward providing communities with needed assistance and resources during the disaster.

Atienza meanwhile credited Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso for the city’s response to the flooding, including drainage clearing and the continued delivery of health services.

She acknowledged that the city experienced significant flooding after large volumes of water entered Manila, but said floodwaters in many areas had subsided considerably.

Atienza also pointed to the city’s continued preparation of health centers, including the availability of medicines for leptospirosis, as well as the cleanup of roads, footbridges and Baseco Beach.

She said the city government remained operational despite the weather conditions to ensure that services continued for affected residents.

Several councilors also reported on conditions in their respective districts during the special session.

Councilors Atty. Jaybee Hizon and Elmer Par said the city’s regular Saturday drainage cleanup had helped mitigate flooding but could not fully prevent it given the volume of rainfall and water released from dams.

Hizon said drainage systems could only accommodate so much water once creeks and the Pasig River reached high levels.

“Naniniwala po ako na resilient na po talaga ang Lungsod ng Maynila at patuloy po tayong naglilinis ng ating mga drainage. Ngunit kahit gaano kaperpekto ang ating drainage system, kung puno na po ang creek at kung mataas na po ang Pasig River, wala po talagang pupuntahan ang baha (I believe Manila is truly resilient and we continue to clean our drainage systems. But no matter how perfect our drainage system is, if the creeks are already full and the Pasig River is high, the floodwaters have nowhere else to go),” Hizon said.

Par similarly attributed the flooding to both the heavy rainfall and water released from dams, while noting the city’s weekly cleanup efforts.

Councilor Lou Veloso meanwhile called for tougher penalties against improper garbage disposal, saying trash contributes to clogged drainage systems and worsens flooding.

“Problema rin talaga ang baha, problema ang basura, problema ang baradong kanal. Sana po ay hindi lang multa ang gawin natin, dapat isang criminal act na ’to dahil nakakapatay ang baha (Flooding is really a problem, garbage is a problem, and clogged drainage is a problem. I hope this will not only be penalized with fines; this should be a criminal act because floods can kill),” Veloso said.

Councilor DJ Bagatsing, meanwhile, noted that floodwaters in España Boulevard and other parts of Sampaloc appeared to subside faster than in previous flooding incidents.

He said España, traditionally associated with flooding, still experienced rising waters but showed significant improvement in how quickly the flooding receded.

With the resolution's passage, the 27 barangays may now access their calamity funds for hot meals, medicines and other essential relief goods.

Barangay representatives were instructed to secure a certified true copy of the resolution from the City Council Secretariat and present it to the budget office to facilitate the immediate release of their calamity funds.

Atienza also clarified that barangays not included in the initial list may still seek assistance.

Affected barangays may proceed to the Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW) for assessment and certification. Once certified, the City Council will facilitate the necessary action for the release of their calamity funds.