Tropical Cyclone Co-May Passing Northern Philippines

Tropical Cyclone Co-May on July 24, 2025

Tropical cyclone Co-May, with the local name “Emong”, developed from a low-pressure area of west Luzon, the Philippines, which rapidly intensified to a typhoon. It maintained its strength on landfall over western Pangasinan after it crossed over the northern part of the Philippines on July 25. The report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) revealed that the combination of tropical cyclone Co-May and the previous tropical cyclone Wipha impacted the household, making many people affected and displaced. On July 30, tropical cyclone Co-May was in a northwest direction in order to cause rainfall over the eastern coast of Zhejiang province of China with a maximum wind speed of 65 km/h, and it was later toward Okinawa, Japan.

Damage and losses

Impact on the affected area

The combined devastation caused by tropical cyclones Wipha and Co-May, and the southwest monsoon sustaining flooding and strong winds severely impacted agricultural areas across the Philippines. According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), a total of 102,451 hectares of farmland across 11 regions and 48 provinces were affected. Details as follows:

• 588 hectares in CAR
• 8,961 hectares in Region I
• 5,712 hectares in Region II
• 46,958 hectares in Region III
• 4,943 hectares in CALABARZON
• 18,961 hectares in MIMAROPA
• 3,226 hectares in Region V
• 12,377 hectares in Region VI
• 5 hectares in Region X
• 14 hectares in Region XI
• 706 hectares in Region XII

Region III was the most severely affected, with significant damage reported in the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales. Preliminary estimates from the Department of Agriculture (DA) indicated that the total value of losses reached approximately 1.12 billion pesos (around 20 million USD), particularly in rice, maize, and high-value crop production. Additionally, the NDRRMC reported that over 6 million people were affected.

The disaster also caused extensive damage and losses to crops, fisheries, livestock, poultry, machinery and equipment, and agricultural infrastructure. This includes small-scale irrigation systems, livestock barns, greenhouses and rain shelters, roads, and rice mills.

Agricultural devastation

Agricultural land:

The DA Regional Field Offices in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, SOCCSKSARGEN, and the National Capital Region reported damage and losses in rice, maize, cassava, high-value crops, fisheries, livestock and poultry, and agricultural infrastructure. The total estimated losses amounted to 3.5 billion pesos (approximately 61 million USD), affecting 109,318 farmers and fisherfolk. The volume of production loss covers 102,451 hectares of agricultural land.

Affected crops:

Significant reductions in crop yields were observed. Details as follows:

• Rice crops: a volume loss of 60,859 tons
• Maize crops: a volume loss of 6,090 tons
• Cassava crops: a volume loss of 615 tons
• High-value crops: a volume loss of 16,757 tons

Government responses and countermeasures

Recovery efforts were supported by the Quick Response Fund (QRF), which facilitated the rehabilitation and recovery of affected areas. In addition, various support programs were implemented to assist affected farmers. These included the distribution of agricultural inputs and the issuance of rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) to Local Government Units (LGUs), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

Farmers also had access to the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC), offering up to 25,000 pesos (approximately 439 USD) in loans. Furthermore, insured affected farmers received indemnification through the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC).

Sources:

1. ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
2. The Department of Agriculture (DA), the Philippines
3. The DA - Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Section (DA DRRMS),
   the Philippines
4. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC),
   the Philippines
5. Bad weather damage on agriculture tops P1.1B; rice hardest hit, the DA, https://www.da.gov.ph/bad-weather-damage-on-agriculture-tops-p1-1b-rice-hardest-hit/

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