The Office of Civil Defense in Northern Mindanao (OCD-10) has placed disaster relief at the center of its operations following the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Basyang last week.
OCD-10 Public Information Officer Mabz Galvez reported that 727 houses in Iligan City were damaged—565 partially and 162 totally destroyed.
Relief efforts are being carried out in close coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and partner agencies to ensure immediate assistance reaches affected families.
Evacuees have already received food packs, hygiene kits, non-food items, and kitchen kits worth more than ₱15 million, while national, regional, and local government units continue to augment resources to cover all affected communities.
Nationwide, the storm’s toll has been severe.
The OCD confirmed at least 12 deaths and more than 132,000 families affected across 850 barangays in Visayas and Mindanao, equivalent to nearly 467,000 individuals.
In Northern Mindanao alone, nine fatalities were recorded, four in Cagayan de Oro due to a landslide and four in Iligan City from flooding.
The storm displaced more than 455,000 people, many of whom remain in temporary shelters.
Officials stressed that while immediate relief is underway, the disaster highlights the urgent need for long-term resilience measures, including dredging silted rivers, rehabilitating flood-control infrastructure, and strengthening community preparedness.
