Pagasa declared rainy season. But where are the rains?

The declaration of the rainy season is a critical signal for farmers, shaping planting schedules and irrigation management.

On June 4, 2026, Pagasa declared the onset of the rainy season based on meteorological indicators of the southwest monsoon, or habagat. Typhoons Domeng and Ester briefly delivered heavy rains, but these were localized and followed by hot, dry conditions.

Farmers across Luzon and the Visayas expressed skepticism, noting that rainfall remained scattered and insufficient because of the suppressive effects of a developing Super El Niño.

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Only western Luzon provinces — Zambales, Palawan and Occidental Mindoro — and Cebu in the Visayas had rainfall exceeding both meteorological and agricultural sufficiency thresholds. However, even in these provinces, effective rainfall was reduced by nearly half because of high losses under El Niño conditions.FEATURED STORIES