Philippines case study

• The Philippines is a case study of a multi-hazardous environment beyond the UK to illustrate and analyse: the nature of the hazards, the social, economic and environmental risks presented, and how human qualities and responses such as resilience, adaptation, mitigation and management contribute to its continuing human occupation
• Republic of the Philippines

  Capital: Manila, Population: 104 million, Area: 300,000 sq km, Major languages: Filipino, English, Major religion: Christianity, Life expectancy: 66 years (men), 73 years (women), GNI per Capita (PPP): $9,540

  
• Philippines' HDI value for 2018 is 0.712, putting the country in the high human development category, positioned at 106 out of 189 countries and territories. Between 1990 and 2018, Philippines' HDI value increased from 0.590 to 0.712, an increase of 20.6 percent.
• Tectonic setting & hazards

  Destructive plate margins (trenches), Primary seismic hazards: Immediate or deep focus earthquakes, Secondary seismic hazards: tsunamis, liquefaction, landslides, fires
• Volcanoes in this tectonic setting

  • Shallow focus Earthquakes, stratovolcanoes/composite volcanoes, steep sides, layers of ash built up over time
• Nature of volcanic eruptions

  Explosive and very dangerous due to build up of pressure, Secondary hazards: tephra, pyroclastics, lahars, gas emissions
• Climate of the Philippines

  Tropical, with two seasons - wet and dry, dependent on location
• Tropical storms (typhoons)


  Occur because the Philippines is within 5-30° N/S of the equator and close to an ocean of 60m depth which can get above 27°C
• Hazards associated with tropical storms

  • Strong winds, storm surges, coastal and river flooding, landslides
• Hazards associated with steep slopes/mountainous regions

  Landslides, avalanches, rockfalls, caused by ground shaking from earthquakes
• Hazards associated with low-lying coastal areas and small islands

  Flooding, storm surges, tsunamis, flooding caused by tropical storms, tsunamis caused by underwater earthquakes
• Earthquakes are a fairly common occurrence in the Philippines, with 17 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater between 2000 and 2017

  
• Major earthquakes in the Philippines

  • 1976 Off Mindanao: magnitude 7.9, caused tsunamis that killed up to 8000
  • 1990 Luzon: magnitude 7.8, killed over 1600 and caused widespread ground rupturing and soil liquefaction
  • 2013 Bohol: magnitude 7.2, killed over 200, injured 800, damaged tens of thousands of buildings

  
• Volcanic activity in the Philippines

  • Pinatubo: Second largest eruption on the planet in the 20th century in 1991, 500,000 people lived within 40km, at least 5,000 people saved by early warning and evacuations, final death toll around 850
  • Mayon: Most active volcano, has erupted nearly 50 times in the last 400 years, volcanic ash mixes with heavy rainfall to produce lahars
  • Taal: One of the most active volcanoes, responsible for 5,000 to 6,000 deaths historically, sits in the middle of a crater lake
• Hazards from tropical storms

  • Flooding, landslides, lahars (if combined with volcanic eruption)
• Impacts of recent tropical storms

  • Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018: Affected 3 million people in the worst hit areas, a further 11 million could not return to their rice farms due to flooding, caused 127 deaths and cost $627 million
• Most frequent hazards


  • Storms - 51.3%, Floods - 31.9%
• Most costly hazards (economically)

  • Storms - 79%, Floods - 17.3%
• Most deadly hazards


  • Storms - 78.7%
• Many hazards are linked

  Storms can cause floods, Earthquakes can lead to landslides
• Volcanic eruptions can cause secondary hazards like lahars (which is volcanic ash from an eruption mixes with heavy rainfall) leading to greater loss of life and damage to infrastructure
• Volcanic eruptions do have warning signs however with many people living close to the volcano it would be hard to evacuate everyone
• One climatic hazard that threatens the Philippines is tropical storms
• Tropical storms can cause flooding, landslides and lahars (if combined with a volcanic eruption) leading to great damage to properties
• Storms account for the greatest number of deaths from a hazard in the Philippines
• Typhoon Mangkhut in 2018 affected 3 million people in the worst hit areas and a further 11 million could not return to their farms due to flooding
• There are many climatic and tectonic hazards that pose threats to the Philippines but which hazard poses the greatest threat depends on the intensity of the hazard, duration and areas it affects

  
• Millions of Filipinos live in risky, low-lying areas where housing is cheap and crowded
• Rapid urbanisation has led to tightly packed, flimsily constructed houses
• This means houses are more likely to be destroyed when a hazard occurs which also means increased death toll
• Government does not always have the money for repairs meaning they need financial aid to help them rebuild after a hazard occurs
• Only a fraction of people have insurance or any claim to property ownership
• Deforestation has led to steep unprotected slopes leading to rapid run-off, flooding and the potential for landslides
• Recent government legislation calls for 70% of disaster spending to be used on long term plans with only 30% going on emergency aid
• Political opponents of the president have been denied funds, including the head of Tigdaranao, a small island barangay, or village. Its partially-built typhoon shelter needs just $20,000 to finish it – money that has not been forthcoming
• "The national government resources are stretched as is," said Lucille Sering, secretary of the Philippine Climate Change Commission, "and even before we could recover from one disaster, here is another one."
• In Tacloban new schools have grills on windows; reinforced concrete beams and bolts in the ceiling that allow the roof to judder a little in high winds without ripping away
• "No build zone"s have been declared in areas restoration of coastal mangroves that will, come the next big typhoon, act as a crucial buffer
• In the district of Anibong, signs declaring the coast a 'no build zone' after Haiyan have been disregarded and houses have been rebuilt in the same place, in the same way
• While the focus has been on rebuilding coastal areas, those inland who were devastated have been left in NGO-built temporary homes because they are unable to afford permanent, solid structures that would fare better in high winds and floods