The Philippine National Police (PNP) has once again stood its ground as a resilient fortress of hope for the Filipino people during the onslaught of Tropical Cyclone Crising and the Southwest Monsoon that affected almost the entire country on July 18, 2025, and even up to this writing. Various PNP units immediately activated their respective emergency teams ready to respond and to be deployed whenever needed. But before the tropical cyclone made its landfall, the PNP personnel in collaboration with other government agencies, together with the Local Government Units (LGUs), had already spearheaded preventive efforts and conducted comprehensive monitoring to ensure the readiness of their respective localities for the coming typhoon.
With the maximum sustained winds of up to 100 km/h and gustiness of up to 125 km/h, Crising had ravaged the country with heavy rains and flooding, prompting several towns and cities to declare a state of calamity.
As the local residents braced for the wrath of Typhoon Crising, the Nation’s Peacekeeper under the leadership of Police General Nicolas D. Torre III, Chief, PNP, wasted no time to respond in all flooded areas throughout the country. Police officers braved the cold and stormy weather wearing raincoats, others were on rescue boats, committed on one mission: to serve and protect all individuals, especially those who are severely affected with the calamity.
That very day, the personnel of the 61st Special Action Company of the PNP Special Action Force, led by Police Captain Aris M. Sitdogan under the supervision of Police Captain Armando A. Tundagui, Acting Company Commander, together with the Isabela Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (LDRRMO) and the personnel of the 94th Infantry Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Philippine Army, safely conducted a rescue operation for flood-affected residents at Sitio Calapmisan in Barangay Rumirang, Isabela, Negros Occidental.
Similarly, the Search and Rescue Team of the 2nd Special Operations Unit (2nd SOU) of the PNP-Maritime Group (PNP-MG), led by Police Executive Master Sergeant Dennis S. Mateo, Unit Executive Senior Police Officer (UESPO), launched a search and rescue, and evacuation operations at Purok Busngol, Barangay Sta. Lourdes in Puerto Princesa City. The team successfully evacuated approximately 30 individuals, including children and elderly residents from the city’s flood-prone areas.
Due to the continuous heavy rainfall, particularly in the National Capital Region, Police Brigadier General Christopher M. Abecia, Director of PNP-MG, led an operational readiness inspection on July 22, across several key units in Metro Manila. These included the Regional Maritime Unit-NCR, the Northern NCR Maritime Police Station (MARPSTA) in Navotas City, and the Southern NCR MARPSTA as well as the 3rd SOU, both situated in Parañaque City. This initiative was part of the Group’s pre-emptive strategy to reinforce its disaster response capabilities, positioning assets in high-risks areas, and to ensure swift mobilization in the event of an emergency.
PNP MG also closely maintained close coordination with the local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMCs) and had actively monitored the weather developments to minimize the potential impact of severe weather on vulnerable populations. On July 23, series of search and rescue operations were also conducted by the PNP-MG’s Regional Maritime Unit 1 in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, which resulted to the successful rescue of at least 12 children and 18 adults including two pregnant women.
Despite the Typhoon Crising’s exit from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), two more cyclones: Typhoons Dante and Emong soon followed and made landfall to the country, Extreme flooding and landslides had worsened in some localities, specifically in the northern parts of the country which tested the government’s preparedness in mitigating the impact of the calamities.
On July 24, at around 10:00 am, a landslide due to heavy rains had struck Barangay Iruhin West in Tagaytay City and Barangay Cabangaan in Silang, Cavite, causing a perimeter wall to collapse, burying four construction workers who were inside their barracks at that time. Rescue and retrieval operations were immediately launched by the composite teams from the Silang Municipal Police Station and Tagaytay Component City Police Station in coordination with other government rescue units.
One worker was successfully rescued and was immediately brought to the nearest hospital in Tagaytay City while another was found lifeless. Search efforts for the remaining two are still ongoing as of this writing. The victims were later identified by their aliases, namely: Jose, Nonong, Armond, and Mark.
On the same day, PNP had also activated its National Headquarters Reactionary Standby and Support Force (NHQ-RSSF), composed of over 200 personnel to be deployed in various areas within NCR. Said police officers were augmented to assist the local police units in cleaning and declogging operations in flood-affected areas, particularly in Quezon City, Malabon City, Navotas City, and Caloocan City. Moreover, some of the RSSF members also assisted the Valenzuela City PNP in loading relief goods onto transport trucks ready for distribution to the affected communities.
In Region 1, Police Brigadier General Dindo R. Reyes, Regional Director of Police Regional Office 1, spearheaded a relief operations to the typhoon-stricken communities in Calasiao, Pangasinan, as he personally visited the town’s evacuation center. His visit aimed to physically check on the condition and needs of the evacuees as Typhoon Emong heavily wrecked several parts of the Region.
As the country endures the devastating effects of these natural calamities, PNP together with other partner-government agencies, stands in solidarity with the Filipino people. The Nation’s Peacekeeper remains persistent in supporting the government to provide immediate assistance to the typhoon victims as well as in seeking long term solutions and alternatives to reduce further risks and casualties in times of disaster.
