The 24-hour rain poured by Tropical Storm Penha (Basyang) was recorded at 361mm, twice the amount of rainfall of Super Typhoon Washi (Sendong) in 2011, which also hit the same path in parts of the major islands of Mindanao and Visayas. This triggered river overflow, flash floods and landslides across large portions of Iligan City, one of the heavily impacted cities in the region.
Learning from the lessons of the past, as TS Basyang made landfall in the city on the eve of February 5, 2026, families immediately decided to evacuate in nearby schools and churches. Soon after the storm passed, some families returned home to initiate community clean-up and clearing operations – neighbors helping neighbors.
Guided by the survivor- and community-led response (sclr) approach, these were part of the information gathered by the Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits (EcoWEB), Inc. through the conduct of appreciative inquiry sessions with women associations and survivor groups in affected barangays in Iligan City.
The Iligan City Local Government Unit has also shifted into a simultaneous coordinated response and recovery measures, in partnership with the Iligan City Peoples Council (ICPC), which leads the local Humanitarian Cluster in championing a CSO- and community-led approach to ensure that no family is left behind, specifically focusing on those often overlooked home-based affected families.
Providing inputs to the inter-agency and multi-stakeholder Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (RDANA), initial gathered data as of last February 10 by the ICPC-member CSOs found the following issues in several key areas:
| Barangay | Affected Families | Notable Damage & Issues |
| Ubaldo Laya | 1,310 | 37 total houses totally damaged; 178 families in 4 different ECs; clogged toilets and lack of food/water in. |
| Acmac | 3,500 HH | 325 home-based families heavily affected; urgent need for coastal clearing operations. |
| Pala-o | 429 | 52 total houses destroyed; water sources (deep wells) and access roads/bridges damaged; fire hazard in Purok 10. |
| Upper Hinaplanon | 619 | 15 houses totally damaged; while ECs are receiving some aid, home-based families report zero assistance. |
| Luinab | 189 HH | 89 families still in the evacuation; 1 reported totally damaged houses |
| Santo Rosario | 567 HH | 567 total affected households affecting 6 zones |
| Kiwalan | 280 HH | Landslide in Purok 5 reported; Livelihoods affected: 2 boats destroyed/missing |
| Suarez | 53 | 22 families still in Barangay Gym EC, while 31 families are homebased |
| Dalipuga | 300 | 89 families evacuated but already went home; 2 reported totally damaged houses, while 5 houses are partially damaged; Food sustenance only provided by Barangay LGU; Infrastructure support needed: flood control (riprap) along Gonzales & Zaragoza areas |
Through the use of the digital feedback tools and assigning specific CSOs to focused barangays, the ICPC was able to check where assistance was concentrated and where gaps persisted. Among the long-term recovery proposals include the 90-hectare community-proposed relocation site in Barangay Kiwalan and the urgent rehabilitation of flood control projects (ripraps) along the Pala-o and Iligan Rivers.
The recovery for Iligan City is now a race against time and resources. While the LGU and CSOs provide the framework, the heartbeat of the effort remains the organized survivors who are initiating measures and contributing skills through clearing their own roads, cooking for their neighbors, and planning for a more resilient future.
Through the survivor and community-led response (sclr) approach championed by EcoWEB, communities identified priority needs such as food, solar lights, and cleaning and cooking materials, and emphasized that support works best when survivors directly lead, decide priorities, manage resources, and implement actions themselves.
As communities lead their recovery, support from partners and the public can help strengthen these survivor-led efforts. Donations will directly support community-identified priorities in areas affected by Tropical Storm Basyang.
DONATE THROUGH THESE CHANNELS:
GCash:
0917 175 6459
Account Name: Ecosystems Work for Essential Benefits, Inc.
PayPal:
ecoweb2006@gmail.com
BDO – Peso Account
Account No.: 0018 0029 3575
SWIFT: BNORPHMM
Del Pilar St., Iligan City
BDO – Dollar Account
Account No.: 1018 0003 5347
SWIFT: BNORPHMM
Del Pilar St., Iligan City
