Fifty people were rescued from a boat sinking off a Philippine island on Wednesday afternoon.

Officials said 41 passengers and nine crew members of the MBCA SPIRIT had set out from Victoria town towards San Vicente island in Northern Samar when they encountered rough seas on August 2.

Powerful waves struck the vessel and damaged its bow, leaving them stranded at sea.

Footage shows several of the passengers swimming in the water to retrieve their belongings that were tossed overboard.

The Philippine Coast Guard, San Antonio town disaster officials, police officers, and local fishermen raced to the scene and found the half-submerged boat with the terrified passengers - including several children - awaiting rescue.

They transferred the distressed individuals onto the MBCA LEANBE boat, which transported them to San Vicente town.

The Philippine Coast Guard said four people needed medical attention and were released after they were cleared by the attending physician. It added the MBCA SPIRIT was towed back to San Antonio town by three fishing boats.

Last week, 27 people were killed in Binangonan, Rizal province when a boat capsized during Typhoon Doksuri.

Philippine weather agency PAGASA said isolated thunderstorms and rough waters may be felt across the country's Luzon and Visayas islands due to the southwest monsoon.