The Philippines

and Its Disaster

Risk Profile

Coleen B. Nantong, LPT

 Learning Goals

 Discover the Philippine’s disaster risk profile.

 Identify the different natural disasters that frequently occur

in our country.

 Distinguish the different disasters and its classification

 The Philippines and Its Disaster Risk Profile
The Philippines, officially called the Republic of the Philippines, is an island
nation located in the western Pacific Ocean in Southeast Asia between the
Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. The country is an archipelago near the
countries of Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. As of the latest count (2016),
there were actually 7,641 islands, as shown by the Philippine Islands
Measurements Project, a special project conducted by the National Mapping
and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA).
The topography of the islands is mostly mountainous with narrow to large
coastal lowlands depending on the island.
The Philippines is divided into three main geographic areas: these are Luzon,
Visayas, and Mindanao.
 The Philippines and Its Disaster Risk Profile
The table below shows all 18 regions in the Philippines:

Luzon Visayas Mindanao

National Capital Region (NCR) Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula)

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) Region X (Northern Mindanao)
Region I (Ilocos Region) Region VI (Western Visayas) Region XI (Davao Region)
Region II (Cagayan Valley) Region VII (Central Visayas) Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN)
Region III (Central Luzon) Region VIII (Eastern Visayas) Region XIII (Caraga)
Region IV-A (CALABARZON) Autonomous Region in Muslim
Region IV-B (MIMAROPA) Mindanao (ARMM)
Region V (Bicol Region)

 Negros Island Region is the 18th and newest region of the Philippines, created on May
29, 2015.
 The Philippines and Its Disaster Risk Profile

 The climate of the Philippines is tropical marine with a northeast monsoon

from November to April and a southwest monsoon from May to October.
 In addition, the Philippines, like many other tropical island nations has
problems of deforestation, and soil and water pollution. The Philippines also
has problems of air pollution because of large populations in its urban centers.
 Filipino is the official national language while English is the official language
of government and education. It has also eight (8) major dialects namely:
Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango,
and Pangasinan.
 The Philippines and Its Disaster Risk Profile
 Philippines has a population of 104, 256,076.
 Life expectancy in the Philippines is 67.6 years .
 Religions in the Philippines are as follows: Catholic 82.9% (Roman Catholic
80.9%, Aglipayan 2%), Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%,
other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% in a 2000
census.
Disaster and Its
Classification
1
 1 Disaster and Its Classification

A disaster is defined as a serious disruption of the

functioning of a community or a society causing
widespread human, material, economic, or
environmental losses which exceed the ability of the
affected community or society to cope using its own
resources. A disaster is a function of the risk process. It
results from the combination of hazards, conditions of
vulnerability, and insufficient capacity or measures to
reduce the potential negative consequences of risk.
 1 Disaster and Its Classification

 Rapid Onset Disasters – These are hazards that arise suddenly. (e.g.
earthquakes, cyclones, landslides, floods, etc.)
 Slow Onset Disasters – These are hazards that take months or years to be
disastrous. (e.g. droughts)

 Disasters can take many different forms. The duration can range from an hourly
disruption to days or weeks of ongoing destruction.
 On next slide it is a list of the various types of disasters – both natural and man-
made or technological in nature – that can impact a community.
 1 Natural Disasters

 a natural disaster is a major adverse resulting from natural processes of the Earth
(e.g. floods, hurricanes, typhoons etc.)
 1 Natural Disasters

 Geophysical – a hazard originating from solid earth (e.g. earthquake and

volcanic activity).

 Meteorological – a hazard caused by short-lived, micro- to meso-scale extreme

weather and atmospheric conditions that lasts from minutes to days (e.g., storm,
extreme temperature and fog).

 Hydrological – a hazard caused by the occurrence, movement and distribution

of surface, and subsurface freshwater and saltwater (e.g., flood, landslide, wave
action).
 1 Natural Disasters

 Climatological – a hazard caused by long-lived, meso- to macro-scale

atmospheric processes ranging from intra-seasonal to multi-decadal climate
variability (e.g., drought, glacial lake outburst, and wildfire).

 Biological - A hazard caused by the exposure to living organisms and their toxic
substances (e.g., venom, mold) or vector-borne diseases that they may carry.
Examples are venomous wildlife and insects, poisonous plants, and mosquitoes
carrying disease-causing agents such as parasites, bacteria, or viruses (e.g.,
malaria).
 1 Natural Disasters

 Extraterrestrial - A hazard caused by asteroids, meteoroids, and comets as

they pass near-earth, enter the Earth’s atmosphere, and/or strike the Earth, and by
changes in interplanetary conditions that effect the Earth’s magnetosphere,
ionosphere, and thermosphere (e.g., impact and space weather).
 1 Man-made Disasters

 disasters also can be caused by humans. Hazardous materials emergencies

include chemical spills and groundwater contamination. Workplace fires are
more common and can cause significant property damage and loss of life.
Communities are also vulnerable to threats posed by extremist groups who use
violence against both people and property.
Disaster Risk Profile of
the Philippines

2
2 Disaster Risk Profile of the Philippines

 Philippines is basically exposed to various

natural hazards (lowest-highest exposure) of
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides,
floods, and typhoons.
 2 Disaster Risk Profile of the Philippines

 According to Centre for The frequency of natural disaster occurrence in last 25 years.
Research on the Epidemiology 4% 2%
5%
of Disasters (as cited in
6%
Doroteo, 2015), the figure Storm
Flood
below shows the frequency of
Landslide
the natural disasters that Volcano
occurred in the Philippines in 51% Earthquake
the last 25 years. Others

32%
 2 Disaster Risk Profile of the Philippines
 Due to its geographical location, the Philippines is exposed to high incidents of hazards such as
tropical storms, tsunamis, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, and droughts.
 Tropical storms or typhoons accompanied by heavy rain and/or strong winds result in floods and
storm surges.
 The country is also situated along a highly seismic area lying along the Pacific Ring of Fire where
two major tectonic plates (Philippine Sea and Eurasian) meet and is highly prone to earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions. This explains the existence of more or less 300 volcanoes of which 22 are
classified is active, and the several occurrences of earthquakes and tsunamis all year round. While
being prone to hazards, its geographical location also endows it with abundant natural resources and
some of the world’s greatest biodiversity.
 Throughout recorded history, the Philippines is considered as one of the most disaster-prone countries
in the world. This, combined with high poverty, leaves various communities throughout the
Philippines in highly vulnerable situations.
Natural Disasters That
Frequently Occur in the
Philippines

3
 Natural Disasters That Frequently Occur in the
3
Philippines
Typhoons/ Volcanic Eruptions
1 Tropical Cyclones 4 7 Terrorism

2 Flooding 5 Earthquakes

3 Landslides 6 Droughts
1 Typhoons/ Tropical Cyclones
 The climate of the Philippines is tropical and is strongly affected by
monsoon (rain-bearing) winds, which blow from the southwest from
approximately May to October and from the northeast from
November to February, although there are considerable variations in
the frequency and amount of precipitation across the archipelago.
 From June to December typhoons often strike the archipelago. On
average, 20 typhoons occur annually, with the months of June to
November averaging approximately three (3) typhoon strikes per
month.
2 Floods

 A review of the high impact tropical cyclones in the Philippines indicate that
majority of the victims were affected by inland flooding and landslides.
 The torrential rain can result in flooding in overflowing rivers, saturated soil,
low-lying areas, and poor drainage. The most number of deaths and economic
losses come from this type of hazard.
 Deforestation are worsening the risk of floods and landslides. The
uncontrolled urban growth, poor land use, the decrease in the number of
protected forests and riverbanks, poor waste disposal and housing have
clogged waterways and increased the risk of floods
3 Landslides
Defined as the movement of rock, earth, or debris down a sloped section of land.
Landslides are caused by rain, earthquakes, volcanoes, or other factors that make the slope
unstable. It has three major causes:

 Geology refers to characteristics of the material itself. The earth or rock may be weak or
fractured, or different layers may have different strengths and stiffness.
 Morphology refers to the structure of the land. A classic morphological cause of
landslides is erosion, or weakening of earth due to water.
 Human activity, such as agriculture and construction, can increase the risk
of a landslide. Irrigation, deforestation, excavation, and water leakage are some of the
common activities that can help destabilize, or weaken, a slope.
4 Volcanic Eruptions
The Philippines is sitting on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is among the countries with most active
and dangerous volcanoes. There are three classifications of volcanoes:

 A volcano is classified as active if it is currently erupting or is expected to erupt in the near

future. There are 22 active volcanoes (out of the 300+ total) in the archipelago. Mayon
Volcano in Legaspi City is the most active volcano in the Philippines.
 A dormant volcano is one that is not currently erupting but has erupted within recordable
history and is expected to erupt again in the near future. Some volcanoes can remain dormant
for thousands of years before eruptions. Mt. Apo in Digos City, Davao Del Sur is an example
of a dormant of potentially active volcano.
 Extinct volcanoes are considered dead and are not expected to ever erupt again. Mt. Arayat in
Angeles City, Pampanga is considered as an inactive or extinct volcano.
4 Volcanic Eruptions

 The volcanoes in the Philippines rank as one of the deadliest and costly in the
world. Lahars (mud flows) are very common in the country due to heavy
rains
 Approximately 13% of its historic eruptions have caused fatalities, most
notably at Taal and Mayon Volcanoes. Also, 22% of its eruptions caused
significant damage.
 Tsunamis accompany eruptions more often than in any other volcanic region.
5 Earthquakes
 Earthquakes are usually caused when rock underground suddenly breaks along the
fault. Since it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the country has frequent seismic and
volcanic activities.
 A fault is a planar fracture in a volume of rock, across which there has been significant
displacement along the fractures as a result of earth movement. This earth movement is
what we called tectonic forces that compress the land.
 Within the past two decades (1990-2010), five destructive earthquakes were recorded
and human casualty included 15 deaths and 119 persons injured. Damaged to the
economy was estimated to reach PhP 207 million.
 The 1990 Luzon earthquake, the Moro Gulf Tsunami and the collapse of the Ruby
Tower were some of the most devastating ever recorded in the Philippines.
5 Earthquakes
 Here is the list of the major active fault lines in the Philippines:

 Marikina Valley Fault – covers Montalban, San Mateo, Marikina, Pasig, Taguig,
Muntinlupa, San Pedro, Biñan, Carmona, Sta. Rosa, Calamba, Tagaytay and Oriental
Mindoro.
 Western Philippine Fault – Luzon Sea, Mindoro Strait, Panay Gulf and Sulu Sea.
 Eastern Philippine – Philippine Sea Southern of Mindanao Fault – Moro Gulf and
Celebes Sea
 Central Philippine Fault – Covers entire Ilocos Norte, Aurora, Quezon, Masbate,
Eastern Leyte, Southern Leyte, Agusan Del Norte, Agusan Del Sur and Davao Del
Norte.
6 Drought
 Drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall; a shortage of water resulting from
this.
 The Philippines has been affected by a strong El-Niño-related dry spell since December 2015,
which has hit food production.
 El-Niño peaked between December and February, and drought affected 40% of the country, and
is expected to persist in 2016.
 The most drought-affected area is the island of Mindanao in the south, which is the country's
poorest area and where more than half of the population is reliant on agriculture.
 According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development, 676,465 people have been
affected by drought in the following areas of Mindanao: Cotabato, South Cotabato, and Sultan
Kudarat in Soccsksargen and Maguindanao in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
(ARMM). The Zamboanga peninsula in Mindanao has been facing severe water shortages.
8 Terrorism
 Defined as “criminal acts intended or calculated to provoke a state of terror in the
general public, group of persons or particular persons for political purposes are in any
circumstance unjustifiable, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical,
ideological, racial, ethnic, religious, or any other nature that may be invoked to justify
them.”
 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG), Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), Moro Islamic
Liberation Front (MILF), Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), New People’s Army (NPA),
Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Maute Group also known as Islamic
State of Lanao are some of the most notable terrorist groups in the Philippines.
 Zamboanga Siege in September of 2013 wherein 200 people died and the attack on
Marawi in May of 2017 are the most recent terrorist attacks in the Philippines.
Top 10 Natural Disasters to
Hit the Philippines
(100 Years Back)

4
 Top 10 Natural Disasters to Hit the Philippines
4
(100 Years Back)

1. Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) devastated the Eastern Visayas region and the city of Tacloban in
November 2013. Leaving the country with 7,986 deaths and 16.11 million affected people, it is
considered as the strongest typhoon which made landfall ever recorded.
2. Typhoon Bopha smashes into the main southern island of Mindanao on December 3, 2012.
Rarely hit by cyclones, the region suffers about 1,900 people dead or missing.
3. Typhoon Washi hits the northern part of Mindanao island on December 16, 2011, killing at
least 1,080 people.
4. An entire mountainside collapses on the village of Guinsaugon on the central island of Leyte on
February 17, 2006, killing 1,126.
5. Tropical Storm Thelma unleashes flash floods on the central city of Ormoc on Leyte island on
November 15, 1991, killing more than 5,100.
 Top 10 Natural Disasters to Hit the Philippines
4
(100 Years Back)

6. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake strikes the mountain resort of Baguio city and other areas of
the northern Philippines on July 16, 1990, killing 1,621 people.
7. Typhoon Ike hits the central islands on August 31, 1984, killing 1,363 people.
8. A tsunami triggered by a magnitude 7.9 earthquake devastates the Moro Gulf on the
southern island of Mindanao on August 16, 1976, killing between 5,000 and 8,000 people.
9. Floods and landslides unleashed by Typhoon Trix kill 995 people in the Bicol region of
the main island of Luzon on October 16, 1952.
10. Taal volcano, about 60 kilometres (30 miles) from NCR, erupts on January 30, 1911,
killing about 1,300 people living in nearby villages.
END
5 References
Briney, A. (2017). Geography of the Philippines. Retrieved from: https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-the- philippines-1435646
Disaster Classification (n.d). General classification. Retrieved from: http://www.emdat.be/classification Doroteo, H. J. E. (2015,
December). Disaster risk profile and disaster risk management framework of the
Philippines: Natural Disasters. Paper presented at Conference: Erasmus Mundus Master in Public Health in Disasters, University of
Oviedo; Asturias, Spain. 10.13140/RG.2.1.4656.3922.
Dorward, L. (2018). Classification of volcanoes. Retrieved from: https://sciencing.com/classifications-of- volcanoes-8442589.html
GMA News Online. (2017, May 26). Mahigit 200 katao ang nasawi sa ‘Zamboanga siege’ noong 2013. Retrieved from:
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/ulatfilipino/612178/mahigit-200-katao-ang-nasawi-sa- zamboanga-siege-noong-2013/story/
GMA News Online (2017, July30). The Attack on Marawi. Retrieved from:
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/612153/a-timeline-of-the-maute-group-s-attack-on- marawi-city/story/ Landslide.
(n.d.). Retrieved from: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/landslide/ More islands, more fun in PH. (2016, February 20).
CNN. Retrieved from: http://cnnphilippines.com/videos/2016/02/20/More-islands-more-fun-in-PH.html
Philippines: Drought. (2016). Retrieved from http://acaps.org/
Pines, S. (2014, January 14). Active fault lines in the Philippines [PPT]. Prezi.
The World Factbook. (2014). Philippines. Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/index.html