Iloilo City on red alert for Tropical Storm ‘Emong’

By Joseph Bernard A. Marzan

The Iloilo City government has raised its emergency alert status to red alert as it braces for the impacts of Tropical Storm Emong, following weeks of monsoon rains intensified by recent typhoons.

Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu issued Memorandum Order No. 048 on Wednesday, July 23, activating full disaster response protocols at the Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

The alert upgrade from blue alert comes as authorities warn of worsening weather conditions.

Mandatory pre-emptive evacuations were advised for residents in high-risk areas, with evacuees instructed to report to their designated centers by 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The city’s Climate Disaster Risk Assessment (2020) identified 72 barangays—home to 240,360 people—as vulnerable to flooding, while 25 barangays with 107,894 residents are at risk of storm surge.

Mayor Treñas-Chu also suspended classes at all levels and non-essential government work, citing advisories from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, PAGASA, the Office of Civil Defense, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The city government has reactivated community kitchens and evacuation centers across all districts.

The Iloilo City Police Office and Bureau of Fire Protection are on standby.

The City General Services Office has prepositioned response assets at the Freedom Grandstand.

“Preparedness saves lives, and we are taking every measure possible to ensure the safety and well-being of our people,” Treñas-Chu said in a statement.

“I have ordered our departments to preposition everything we need for each district so we can deploy assistance quickly when needed.”

To prevent a potential leptospirosis outbreak, the city has administered doxycycline to 14,962 individuals since July 18, including 385 on Wednesday alone.

The EOC’s Situational Report No. 2 recorded the deployment of 452 response personnel and 175 vehicles from various agencies and offices.

City Hall has also readied over 200 modular tents for use in evacuation centers, according to spokesperson Joy Fantilaga-Gorzal.

As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, flooding had been reported in 70 barangays, with water levels reaching up to 19 inches in some areas.

The affected barangays include 17 in La Paz, 13 in Mandurriao, 12 in Jaro, 9 in Molo, 7 in Arevalo, and 6 each in City Proper and Lapuz.

Fourteen houses were reported damaged—11 partially and 3 totally—along with three toppled trees.

As of 3 p.m., PAGASA had upgraded Tropical Depression Emong to a tropical storm, intensifying monsoon rains across Western Visayas and nearby regions.