17. Multi Hazard Zone: Philippines

Question 1

Range of hazards/ examples

Answer 1

• Earthquakes -> 1990 Luzon (7.8) killed over 1600 people and caused widespread ground rupturing and soil liquefaction
• Volcanic activity: Mt Mayon - most active, erupting nearly 50x in last 400 yrs
• Lahars
• Flooding
• Landslides

Question 2

Geographical location creates a multi hazard environment

Answer 2

• An archipelago of 7000 islands
• Positioned on the western rim of the Pacific Ring of Fire
• Situated in an area where tropical disturbances cross from the Pacific towards the south-east Asia
• Philippines = most exposed country

Question 3

Varying levels of risk and vulnerability

Answer 3

• A lot of people live in low lying areas which are cheaper so crammed housing
• Rapid urbanisation -> tightly packed flimsily constructed housing and environmental degradation
• NEE -> still developing so not as much access to resources, rely on international aid more
• People are vulnerable to primary + secondary hazards

Question 4

Attitudes and Perceptions of hazard risk

Answer 4

• A lot of people are fatalistic -> they accept that these events are part of living in such an area and that losses are inevitable
• Emphasis on post-disaster relief and short term preparedness, rather than on mitigation and post-disaster support for economic recovery
• Current system is a more centralised top-down administrative system than one which is community based
• On a Dinagat island questioned some of the UN standard and globally practiced humanitarian interventions

Question 5

Changes in resilience and preparedness

Answer 5

• The UN claims the Philippines already has some of the best risk-reduction laws in the world but most of them are still on paper
• Recent government legislation calls for 70% of disaster spending to be used on long term plans with only 30% going on emergency aid
• The Philippines National Red Cross has started programmes at community level in conjunction with Foreign Red Cross organisations
• There has been a shift in the work of the UN Country Team towards investing in resilience building which means enhancing national and local capacities to cope with, adapt to and recover from present + future shocks
• Replanting and restoring mangroves
• In Albay Province, communities were learning to fly state of the art drones

Question 6

Future challenges and sustainability of the response to hazards

Answer 6

• Resources are stretched and before they can recover from one disaster, the next one has arrived
• Lots of different socio-economic statuses, in locations a few km apart- some looking to get mobile phones for communication but neighbouring community may require livelihood support or materials to start rebuilding homes.