July 24, 2025 | Disaster Response

Monsoon, Tropical Storm Wipha impact families in Asia

Multiple weather events flood homes across the greater Manila area of the Philippines

By Kati Burns Mallows

For days, heavy rainfall battered the National Capital Region of the Philippines, causing rising floodwaters that disrupted lives and livelihoods.

Winds and rain from several extreme weather events have affected over 926,600 individuals across 17 regions nationwide since July 19, according to reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in the Philippines. By July 24, there were a total of 19 reported deaths, 11 missing people and over 46,900 families taking shelter in evacuation centers.

At the time this story was published, 414 families across Unbound’s programs in Manila, Quezon, Legazpi and Antipolo had been impacted. No deaths from the Unbound community had thus far been reported.

Wind gusts of up to 77 miles per hour from severe Tropical Storm Wipha (known locally as “Crising”) on July 19 combined with rainfall already intensified by the country’s southwest monsoon season, which lasts from June to November. Floods, landslides and infrastructure damage resulted.

Upgraded to a typhoon, Wipha’s exit from the Philippines Area of Responsibility as it headed toward Hong Kong and Vietnam was followed by Tropical Storm Dante and then Typhoon Emong on July 23. The impact of all storms combined left many roads impassable across the region, homes destroyed, schools and businesses shut down and commercial flights canceled.

Threats of flooding and landslides remain in these areas throughout the week.

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In Quezon City, floodwaters overtook a business district as people evacuated.

In Unbound’s Quezon program, the home of 13-year-old sponsored child Denniese sustained knee-deep floodwater.

In another community in Unbound’s Quezon program, the home of sponsored elder Florida, 73, was flooded. This is the second time in less than two years that Florida’s home and livelihood were disrupted by flooding.

According to Unbound’s regional reporter for Asia, Tristan John Cabrera, who is based in the Philippines, water from rivers reached “critical alarm levels,” signaling for residents to evacuate the areas.

“Some reports received are from Unbound staff and parent leaders located in programs that are two to three hours driving distance from each other, which shows the big scope of destruction that this calamity is having,” Cabrera said.

In Antipolo, a 13-year-old sponsored boy was rescued from drowning after being swept away by floodwaters, while one sponsored elder was hospitalized after suffering a stroke. In Manila, the homes of three families experienced floodwaters that rose to waist deep, while in Quezon, the largest number of Unbound families were affected, including 11 elderly who were evacuated from their homes.

Unbound Regional Program Director for Asia Malou Navio said she’s thankful there were no casualties reported among Unbound’s sponsored individuals and families, though some families have lost all their personal belongings. At the time of this report, local staff were still gathering information on all affected families to determine the need.

The disaster-prone Philippines is hit by an average of 20-25 tropical storms and typhoons each year, making disaster recovery almost a normal part of life, especially for families living in vulnerable areas and conditions.

“Emotional and physical stress have been experienced by those affected by the flooding,” Cabrera said. “It is not easy to clean up dirt and thick mud from inside your house. It is not easy to stay in evacuation centers waiting for the flood to subside.

“But everyone will stand up again and continue with their lives as if nothing has happened. Our strong resiliency after a catastrophe makes me proud to be a Filipino.”

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Floodwaters surround the home of Unbound sponsored child Trisha in Quezon, Philippines.

How to help families affected by disaster


As reports continue to come in from the field and Unbound assesses the extent of families’ needs, here are steps sponsors and others can take now to help.

  • • Make sure your contact information is current. In times of natural disaster, Unbound notifies sponsors personally if we learn that their sponsored friends have been injured or otherwise seriously impacted.

  • • Pray. The Unbound community is keeping all those affected and those assisting with relief efforts in our prayers.

  • • Donate to the Critical Needs Fund. The fund assists families in the aftermath of events such as floods, severe storms, earthquakes and fires. From now until August 31, you can double the impact of your donation to the Critical Needs Fund.

Regional reporter for Asia Tristan John Cabrera and Unbound staff in the Philippines contributed information and photos for this story.