ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Roxas City in Capiz province declared a state of calamity on Sunday as Tropical Storm Ramil unleashed relentless rains and widespread flooding, submerging nearly all of the city’s barangays in what officials described as an unprecedented deluge.
The Sangguniang Panlungsod, the city’s legislative council, passed Resolution No. 263-2025 during a special session, following a recommendation from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC). The declaration unlocks the city’s quick response fund to support urgent relief and rehabilitation efforts for thousands of affected residents.
Melvin Galagate, head of the Roxas City Information Division, said in a phone interview that the flooding impacted approximately 830 families, or 2,773 individuals, as of early Sunday. One person, a 44-year-old man, was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital after being rescued. Three others were injured.
“It’s the first time in Roxas City’s history that almost all barangays were flooded,” Galagate said. While floodwaters have receded in the city proper, several low-lying villages remain inundated. Many evacuees have returned home as conditions improved, but recovery efforts are ongoing.
Mayor Ronnie Dadivas, who personally led rescue operations Saturday night, has spearheaded relief efforts with support from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which provided 10,000 food packs to affected communities. “We are working around the clock to ensure our people have what they need to recover,” Dadivas said in a statement.
The storm’s impact extended beyond flooding. A landslide in Barangay Culasi partially covered a road in Sitio Nipa, while a collapsed road section in Sitio Switch, Barangay Adlawan, destroyed one house and damaged four others.
In response to the crisis, Dadivas suspended classes at all levels from October 20 to 22. The measure aims to ensure student and staff safety, support psychosocial recovery for families grappling with the trauma of the floods, and allow households time to rebuild. In a Facebook post, Dadivas urged teachers to use the suspension period to recover and prepare alternative learning methods, in line with Department of Education guidelines for disaster-related class suspensions.
