31-7-2023 (MANILA) Back-to-back tropical cyclones wreaked havoc in the Philippines, with a wedding, a historical church, and main roads falling victim to their wrath. Typhoon “Falcon” (International name: Khanun) entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as a tropical storm early on Saturday. By Monday, July 31, it had intensified into a typhoon, causing heavy rains in different parts of the country. The typhoon came after another tropical cyclone, “Egay” (International name: Doksuri), which caused widespread flooding in several municipalities in Bulacan, including areas that do not typically experience floods.
The Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, also known as the Barasoain Church, in Malolos, Bulacan, was one of the areas affected by the flooding. The historical church, which dates back to the 1880s, is a popular tourist and religious place of worship in the Philippines. Photos uploaded on the Facebook account of Santisima Trinidad de Malolos Parish showed the church interiors in ankle-deep floodwaters. A wedding ceremony was also held at the church amid the flooding. Photos and videos of the wedding ceremony were uploaded on Facebook by entrepreneur Maria Jasmin Halili which she noted that the design was very “Crazy Rich Asians,” but with a Bulacan version. In the footage, the couple said their vows before the altar while their clothes got drenched because of the wet floor.
Another church that was hit by “Falcon’s” heavy rains and strong winds was the Parish of St. Ildephonse of Toledo in Guiguinto in Bulacan. Portions of MacArthur Highway in Bulacan were also submerged in floodwaters, with photos and videos of the situation reported by several mainstream news outlets. Villages in Balagtas, Bocaue, and other municipalities also bore the brunt of the heavy rains and the southwest monsoon, with residents taking to social media to share footage of their neighborhoods and homes being inundated with water.
According to Bulacan Vice Governor Alex Castro, a total of 22 municipalities and cities in Bulacan were affected by the consecutive tropical cyclones “Egay” and “Falcon,” including Balagtas, Malolos, Plaridel, Pulilan, San Jose Del Monte, Hagonoy, Obando, Bocaue, and Angat. “Falcon” entered PAR shortly after “Egay” left the country. The consecutive tropical cyclones have caused significant damage and disruption in the affected areas, highlighting the need for continued efforts to mitigate the impact of natural disasters in the Philippines.
