Lesson 10

Disaster Risk Profile of the

Philippines
A. Natural Hazards Likely to Affect the Country
The Philippines is prone to almost all types of
natural hazards because of its geographical location and
geotectonic setting.
In addition, the Philippines is situated
along the highly-seismic Pacific Ring
of Fire as shown on Figure 1. This is
the area where the Philippine Sea and
Eurasian Tectonic Plates meet and is
prone to occurrences of earthquakes,
tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. In
fact, there are 300 volcanoes in the Figure 1: Map showing the Pacific
country and 22 are active. Ring of Fire
Figure 2. Map showing the Distribution of Active
Faults and Trenches in the Philippines

Figure 2 shows the distribution of

active faults and trenches in the
Philippines which are found in
several areas of the country.
Figure 3. Map showing the Seismicity of the
Philippines

Generally, we encounter an
average of 20 earthquakes a day,
per latest figures from the
Philippine Institute of
Volcanology and Seismology
(PHIVOLCS). Earthquake
disasters are not as frequent as the
typhoons and flooding that take
place in the Philippines.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1U958ceb98hrjx3S-0XsZqApoiDhP-
IlL&ll=12.830147630901887%2C123.00000000000003&z=5

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to see in Google Map
 Figure 4. Photo showing
Pacific Typhoon Belt

The country is also located along the Pacific Typhoon Belt. This explains the occurrences of
different weather disturbances such as typhoons. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reports that every year, an average of twenty
(20) tropical cyclones enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and five (5) of which shall
be most destructive. Tropical cyclones and its sequential effects of rain and windstorms, as well as
floods are the most prevalent types of hydro meteorological hazards in the country.
Figure 5. Tracks of Tropical Cyclones in the Western North Pacific Period
1948 to 2010
-Philippines can also be called “Exporter of Typhoons”.
Between 1997 and 2007, eighty-four (84) tropical cyclones entered the
Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). These typhoons resulted to a total
of 13,155 in human casualty and more than 51 million families have been
affected. Economic losses due to typhoon damages in agriculture,
infrastructures and private properties are estimated to reach P158.242-B.
Some of the most devastating floods and landslides are triggered by these
typhoons that happened also within this period. The El Nino Southern
Oscillation which is a periodic disaster recorded high economic costs in just
a single occurrence. In 2010, out of the almost PhP 25-M worth of damages
to properties caused by natural disasters, tropical cyclones contributed to
more than half. These affected more than 3 million people in that year alone.
 The intensity scale classification of
tropical cyclone by the Philippine
Atmospheric Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration
(PAGASA), have developed the category
for Super Typhoon, with sustained winds
of greater than 220 km per hour. In the
past years, the country does not have the
category for Super Typhoon. However,
because of Typhoon Yolanda, the
PAGASA had the realization that the
strength of typhoons can go beyond the
country’s existing threshold.

Figure 6: PAGASA’s Tropical Cyclone

Intensity Scale
Figure 7: Schematic
Presentation showing Climate
Change

Philippines also has to

contend with the
irreversible impacts of
climate change that is
characterized by the
increasing global
temperatures as
illustrated on Figure 7
Environmental factors such as denuded forests aggravate flood risks.
The pace of deforestation since the 1930s accelerated in the 1950s and
1960s, before falling slightly in the 1980s. Even now, the effects of
loose soil and reduced forest cover from past forestry activities are felt
in frequent landslides and floods. Recent events show that the annual
monsoon season in the country has brought severe flooding in most
areas.
Based on the data from the
National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management
Council (NDRRMC), a total of
302 natural incidents were
monitored for the period CY
2014-2017. Of the natural
incidents monitored, flashfloods
topped the list with 119 or
39.2% incidents followed by
landslides with 29 or 9.6% and
tornado with 28 or 9.2%.
 B. Recent Major Disasters:

1. Naga Landslides (September 2018)

A landslide incident occurred in SitioSindulan, Barangay
Tinaan, Naga City, Cebu. The City of Naga was declared under
State of Calamity thru Resolution No. 001-A-2018 on 21
September 2018 due to damages brought by the occurrence of a
massive landslide. It affected 1,972 families or 8,252 persons in
barangays, with 77 dead, 7 injured and 57 missing.
 B. Recent Major Disasters:
2. Typhoon Mangkhut (September 2018)
Typhoon Mangkhut, locally known as Typhoon Ompong entered the Philippine
Area of Responsibility (PAR) on 12 September 2018 and has made landfall in
Baggao, Cagayan on 15 September 2018. The typhoon caused widespread damage
across Northern and Central Luzon due to its intense nature and large size
(~900km). Interaction with the rugged terrain of Northern Luzon have aggravated
the nature of rainfall, which caused flooding and landslides especially in the
mountainous Cordillera Administrative Region. It affected a total of 730,596
families or 3,029,062 persons in 5,917 barangays with 82 dead, 138 injured and 2
missing. It destroyed 210,500 houses and damaged a total estimated amount of
P7.2B on infrastructure and P26.8B on agriculture.
 B. Recent Major Disasters:
3. Volcanic Activity (January 2018)
Mayon Volcano (BulkangMayon), also known as Mount Mayon, is
an active volcano in the Province of Albay. Mayon is the most
active volcano in the Philippines having erupted over 49 times in
the past 400 years.
3. Volcanic Activity (January 2018)
• On 13 January 2018, a phreatic eruption occurred in Mayon Volcano. Per
PHIVOLCS Eruption Notification, the estimated height of grayish ash
plume is at 2,500 meter that drifted towards the Southwest. Traces of ashfall
were found in the Municipalities of Camalig, Guinobatan, Daraga and Ligao
City.
• DOST-PHIVOLCS raised the alert status of Mayon Volcano from Alert
Level 2 (increasing unrest) to Alert Level 3 (increased tendency towards
hazardous eruption). This means Mayon was exhibiting relatively high
unrest and that magma is at the crater. On 16 January 2018, the Albay
Province was declared under the State of Calamity thru Resolution No.
00670-2018. NDRRMOC raised the alert status from Blue to Red and
conducted continuous monitoring and coordination with other member
agencies and response clusters.
3. Volcanic Activity (January 2018)
• On 22 January 2018, PHIVOLCS raised the Alert Level of Mayon
Volcano to Alert Level 4 (hazardous eruption imminent). The Danger
Zone was extended to 8 kilometers radius from the summit vent. The
public was strongly advised to be vigilant and desist from entering
this danger zone. Civil aviation authorities advised pilots to avoid
flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from eruptions can be
hazardous to aircraft. A total of nine (9) international flights and
sixteen (16) were cancelled due to volcanic activity.
• Then, on 6 March 2018, a notice for lowering of Mayon Volcano’s
status from Alert Level 4 (hazardous eruption imminent) to Alert
Level 3 (decreased tendency towards hazardous eruption).
3. Volcanic Activity (January 2018)
• On 07 March 2018 as per Situational Report No. 57 issued by the
NDRRMC, a total of seventy-six (76) volcanic earthquakes and thirteen
(13) rockfall events were recorded by Mayon’s seismic monitoring
network. Sulfur dioxide emission was measured at an average of 4,459
tonnes/day on 06 March 2018. Deflation of the lower slopes that began on
20 February is still being recorded by electronic tilt and by Precise
Levelling (PL) surveys.
• A total of 16,380 families were pre-emptively evacuated in Region V due
to Mt. Mayon phreatic eruption. A total of 23,705 families / 90, 742
persons were affected in 61 barangays in the municipalities /cities of
Bacacay, Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao City, Daraga, Tabaco City, Malilipot,
Santo Domingo (Libog), and Legazpi City in the Province of Albay
(Region V).
4. Typhoon Hagupit (December 2014)
Typhoon Hagupit, locally known as Typhoon “Ruby” entered the
Philippines on 4 December 2014 at 4:00AM with maximum winds of
175kph and gustiness of 210kph and is moving West Northwest at
25kph. Typhoon Hagupit is being compared to last year’s Super
Typhoon Yolanda that also enters PAR on the last quarter of the year.
A total of 944,249 families or 4,149,484 persons were affected in
Regions III, IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, VII, VIII, CARAGA and NCR. There
were 18 fatalities and 916 injured persons and damaged 290,670
houses. Furthermore, it damaged infrastructure and agriculture
amounting to Php5,090,265,462.00.
5. Super Typhoon Yolanda (November 2013)
Super Typhoon Haiyan, locally known as Typhoon Yolanda entered the Philippine
Area of Responsibility PAR on 6 November 2013 and made landfall on (1) Guiuan,
Eastern Samar; (2) Tolosa, Leyte; (3) Daanbantayan, Cebu; (4) Bantayan Island,
Cebu; (5) Conception, Iloilo; and finally (6) Busuanga, Palawan and left the
Philippines on 9 Nov 2013.
 The wrath of “Yolanda” affected a total of 3,424,593 families or 16,078,181
persons in 12,139 Brgys in 44 Prov, 591 Mun, 57 Cities in the Regions of IV-A, IV-
B, 5,6,7,8,10,11 &Caraga. A total of 1,140,332 houses were damaged and killed
6,318 individuals, 28,689 were injured and 1,061 went missing during the
onslaught. The dreadful event left a total of PhP89,598,068,634.88 worth of
damages to infrastructure, productive, social and cross-sectoral sectors. Due to the
massive destruction and immense effects of TY Yolanda, the President issued
Presidential Proclamation No 682 declaring a state of national calamity on 11 Nov
2013 and Presidential Assistant for Recovery and Rehabilitation (PARR) was
designated to oversee the TY Yolanda Reconstruction and Rehabilitation.
6. Earthquake in Central Visayas (October 2013)
An earthquake of tectonic origin with 7.2 magnitude occurred in Region VII on 15
October 2013 at about 8:12AM with an epicenter at Sagbayan, Bohol and recorded
3,198 aftershocks and 94 of which were felt. It causes 222 fatalities, 976 were injured,
and 8 were missing.
 Secondary to the quake, landslide incidents occurred in different municipalities in
Bohol. Stampede occurred at Barba Sports Complex in Toledo City and
Pinamungahan Auditorium both in Cebu. A ground subsidence was also reported by
Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) at Purok 7 and 8 Barangay Poblacion I,
Tagbilaran City, Bohol and residents nearby were advised to preemptively evacuate.
 A total of 671,103 families / 3,221,248 persons were affected in 1,527 barangays in
60 municipalities and 6 cities in 6 provinces of Regions VI and VII. A total of 73,002
houses, 41 bridges and 18 roads were damaged. A total of PhP2,257,182.90 worth of
damaged roads, bridges, flood control, school buildings, hospitals.
7. Taal Volcano Eruption (January 2020)
The eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas, Philippines on January 12, 2020, was a
phreatomagmatic eruption from its main crater that spewed ashes across
Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and some parts of Central Luzon and Ilocos Region,
resulting in the suspension of school classes, work schedules, and flights in the area.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) subsequently
issued an Alert Level 4, indicating "that a hazardous explosive eruption is possible
within hours to days.”
 By January 26, 2020, PHIVOLCS observed an inconsistent, but decreasing
volcanic activity in Taal, prompting the agency to downgrade its warning to Alert
Level 3. It was until February 14, 2020, when PHIVOLCS finally decided to
downgrade the volcano's warning to Alert Level 2, due to consistent decreased
volcanic activity.
THANK YOU