Natural Disaster Risk Management in the Philippines : Reducing Vulnerability

Abstract

The Philippines is one of the most natural hazard-prone countries in the world. The social and economic cost of natural disasters in the country is increasing due to population growth, change in land-use patterns, migration, unplanned urbanization, environmental degradation and global climate change. Reducing the risk of disasters will be key to achieving the development goals in the Philippines. The World Bank with assistance from the Philippines Government conducted an informal study on natural disaster risk management in the Philippines. The objectives of the first study were to: document the impacts of natural disasters on social and economic development of the Philippines; assess the country's current capacity to reduce and manage disaster risk; and identify options for more effective management of that risk. This follow-on study is intended to support the first study and examine in more detail some of the specific areas under the above themes and provide directions for necessary actions. This paper contains the following headings: introduction, overview of natural disasters and capacity of disaster management in the Philippines; study on floods, sediment and typhoon disaster; study on earthquake disaster; study on volcanic disaster; direction for improving disaster management data, hazard maps, and risk models; assessment of available basic data for disaster management activities; survey on disaster risk management in the disaster coordinating councils, and summary of findings and recommendations.