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Filipinos: Homes, farmers, and children are most vulnerable to disasters

Manila, Philippines—Most Filipinos believe homes, farming, and children are the types of infrastructure, work, and people most vulnerable to disasters in the Philippines, according to the 2017 nationwide household survey conducted by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) Program on Resilient Communities (PRC).

“This information is important for DRRM officials to consider as they mull over the kind of messaging and training they develop to better prepare for future disasters,” HHI PRC program director Vincenzo Bolletino said.

Infrastructure

A majority of Filipino households (69 percent) felt their own homes, of all the assets they owned, were at most risk during a disaster. It was followed by farmland (32 percent), roads (23 percent), and schools (15 percent).

Only a small part of the population was concerned about fishing resources (13 percent), bridges (11 percent), water, sanitation and hygiene (Wash) facilities (eight percent), and health facilities (five percent).

Filipinos’ high concern over their homes may be linked to their experience with disasters, as most of the population have experienced significant damage to property, assets and have been displaced from their homes due to a disaster. 42 percent of Filipinos reported their homes partially destroyed while 16 percent had been displaced for at least one week.

The high level of damage to homes was particularly pronounced in Eastern Visayas, the region extremely hit by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), where 97 percent of homes have either been partially damaged or completely destroyed at some point by a disaster. The region also reported the highest level of vulnerability of homes at 84 percent, followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) at 82 percent.

Most of Filipinos’ homes were also unprotected to losses and damages, as only three percent had some form of home insurance. They said, however, if they had money to prepare for disasters, they would spend it on strengthening their homes with better materials (43 percent).

People

Most of the population, 57 percent, think that farmers were the most vulnerable workers in the country where most households’ primary source of income was also farming (17 percent). It was followed by fishermen and wage laborers (both at 39 percent), shopkeepers/businessmen (13 percent), and livestock herders (12 percent). Very few were concerned about government employees (10 percent), and police/army (two percent).

Cagayan Valley, the region with most of the population dependent on farming (52 percent), also reported the highest level of vulnerability of farmers at 87 percent. Meanwhile, NCR, the region with the most skilled salaried workers (20 percent), cited the highest level of vulnerability of wage laborers (82 percent).

In terms of people’s vulnerability to natural hazards, more than half of the population (52.3 percent) thought children are the most vulnerable, followed by the elderly (51.9 percent), poor people (35 percent), and people with disabilities (23 percent).

NCR and then Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)—now Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)—reported the highest level of children’s vulnerability, both at 72 percent.
Similarly, BARMM also reported the highest concern over the elderly at 72 percent, followed by NCR at 68 percent.

Undeniably, the Philippines has numerous vulnerable populations. A quarter of the population are living below the national poverty level, and there are huge numbers of informal settlements in coastal/flood prone areas, especially in Metro Manila. Furthermore, the population is also still largely young with a third of it below 14 years, while over a million people are displaced each year due to rapid-onset disasters.

HHI PRC’s nationwide household survey of 4,368 adult respondents representing all economic strata was conducted between March and April of 2017.

For more information, download the national & regional infographics on “Perceptions of Vulnerability, Preparedness, Assistance & Barriers in the Philippines” from http://hhi.harvard.edu/publications/perceptions-vulnerability-preparedness-assistance-and-barriersregional-infographics

For inquiries, please contact:
Mark Toldo
Communications Coordinator
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative | Program on Resilient Communities
mobile: +63917-825-5145
email: mtoldo@hsph.harvard.edu
website: https://hhi.harvard.edu
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