In mid-August 2026, heavy rain from the southwest monsoon (habagat) flooded large parts of Metro Manila. Getting around at night has clearly been affected. Here is where things stand as of 19 August, framed around choosing an area and moving between them.

A key Makati junction went under water

On 18 August, the intersection of Gil Puyat Avenue and Osmena Highway in Makati flooded, and commuters were filmed wading through it. That junction feeds directly into the route toward P. Burgos. When it clogs, movement inside Makati itself becomes hard to predict.

Over in the City of Manila, part of Espana Boulevard became impassable for vehicles. If you were planning to head toward Malate, changing the date may simply be faster.

Transport: Grab is harder to catch, and pricier

On flooded days, Grab wait times stretch out and surge pricing kicks in. Fuel itself also went up this week.

  • For the week of 18 to 24 August, fuel prices rose by up to 5.01 pesos per liter. Diesel went up by roughly 4 pesos
  • The driver is the Middle East. With the US-Iran agreement approaching its deadline, crude has stayed high

The practical move right now is to keep your venues inside one area. If you are in Makati, finish the night in Makati. Cutting out even one cross-area trip changes how the evening feels.

Exchange rates (reference, as of 17 August 2026)

1 JPYapprox. 0.39 PHP
1 PHPapprox. 2.59 JPY
1 USDapprox. 61.5 PHP

The peso slipped on 18 August after the central bank (BSP) signalled room for further policy action. For anyone changing money into pesos, the backdrop is not bad. Airport counters generally give worse rates than in the city, so change only what you need for transport at the airport.

Travel notes

Cebu Pacific will resume its Iloilo-Bangkok and Iloilo-Singapore routes from 23 November, three times weekly. Both had been suspended because of high jet fuel prices tied to Middle East tensions. Promo fares from 199 pesos one way are available until 31 August.

Watch out for this week

  • PAGASA says a low pressure area inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility is likely to develop into a tropical depression. If it gets a name, expect transport to be disrupted again
  • Scheduled water service interruptions across Metro Manila and Rizal from 17 to 21 August
  • Avoid walking through floodwater. Leptospirosis cases tend to rise after floods in the Philippines, with infection through open wounds a known route. If you do end up in the water, wash off as soon as you can

Sources

The X posts embedded above, plus Inquirer.net, The Philippine Star, BusinessWorld and Manila Bulletin

Exchange rates are indicative. Weather, water service and venue operations change quickly, so please check official announcements and each venue directly.