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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Humanity is challenged by nature that fights back through calamities. This

is in the context of the changing climate relative to the development and

industrialization of countries in the global spectrum. However, people found little

and slow measures to mitigate the effects of unexpected disasters as such,

countries frequently visited by natural calamities have become vulnerable to

severe damage of properties and a number of casualties (Mercader and Sesio,

2014). The growing frequency of natural disasters has prompted relevant

agencies to re-evaluate ‘‘community-level’’ disaster prevention capabilities and to

educate residents in the environmental risks and the ability to autonomously

initiate disaster relief operations, thus developing a high degree of vigilance for

potential disaster awareness and emergency response capabilities (McEntire and

Myers 2004).

In Taiwan, due to its geographic environment, it is prone to natural

disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes that can cause heavy casualties and

huge property losses. After several major natural disasters, disaster prevention

measures in Taiwan have been extended beyond conventional one-way

government policies and now focus on promoting universal disaster prevention

and response. The Taiwan government actively promotes a community disaster

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prevention system to increase the awareness of natural disasters and the

importance of community safety. Specifically, increased attention has been

focused on promoting correct disaster prevention concepts and response

techniques among the populace, and on implementing a community-centric

grassroots approach to disaster response. The different conditions of each

community call for different approaches to disaster preparation, whereas no

absolute standard has been established for promoting community disaster

readiness (Chou and Wu, 2014).

Urban areas, where 65 to 90 percent of economic activities of most Asian

countries are concentrated, are experiencing ever increasing risk due to changing

climate (Shaw et al., 2017). The Asia-Pacific region generally, and the Philippines

in particular, are highly susceptible to natural disasters (Bollettino et al., 2016).

Located along the major tectonic plates and at the center of the typhoon belt, its

islands and islets are regularly impacted by typhoons, flooding, landslides, as

well as volcanic activity and earthquakes. This made the Philippines develop

strong coping mechanisms but lack support to necessitate high levels of disaster

preparedness and a commitment to disaster risk reduction (Bollettino, Alcayna,

Enriquez, and Vinck, 2018). In addition to disrupting peoples’ everyday lives,

natural disasters destroy property, disrupt economic production, reduce national

output, worsen disparities in wealth, and hinder livelihoods, especially amongst

marginalized communities and those living in informal settlements (Bollettino et

al., 2016). The 2015 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction by the
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United Nations Office of Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) estimates that the

multi hazard average annual loss for the Philippines is $7.893 billion, which is

equivalent to 69 percent of social expenditure in the country (Bolletino et al.,

2016).

The erratic impact of natural disasters results in significant economic

losses every year affecting mostly the rural places. Particularly, the agricultural

sector is susceptible to natural hazard affecting their pattern of investment.

Natural disasters have placed a recurrent and fluctuating burden on government

finance. Poverty, disaster vulnerability and ecological degradation are

fundamentally associated with one another which pulls the government’s

economy (Benson, 1997).

There had been considerable attention to disaster management but these

efforts have largely concentrated in preparedness and post-disaster response,

rather than prevention and mitigation measures. Hence, the effects of these

disasters are prevailing. Homes in different places particularly in urban areas are

affected by floods, landslides, and other dangers.

As climate changes over time, natural catastrophe surges and the country

becomes more vulnerable to these phenomena creating an adverse impact on

the Philippine economy. Based on a study conducted by the Geneva-based

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and the Belgian-

based Centre on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED) covering the period

between 1995 and 2015, the Philippines suffered a total of 274 natural calamities
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making it the third most disaster-prone country in the world over the past two

decades. United States (472) ranked first, followed by China (441), then India

(288) and Indonesia. Reports also revealed that the Philippines was among the

top 10 countries with the most number of people affected by disasters, at 130

billion.

One of the world’s strongest typhoon in recent history struck the

Philippines on November 8, 2013, with a wind speed of 305 kilometers an hour

was super typhoon Haiyan—known as Yolanda in equivalent of a Category 5

hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. (Perceptions of Disaster Resilience and

Preparedness in the Philippines, 2015, page 1.)

Super typhoon Yolanda made landfall in the Philippines affecting Visayas

Region, particularly in Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Mindoro, and Panay. According

to the disaster council of the Philippines, damage to infrastructure reached P15.7

billion while damage to agriculture reached P15.1 billion. The affected families in

Visayas region rose from 2,335,031 to 2,376,217 or around 11.2 million

individuals.

With these existing problems, the Philippines is greatly facing a challenge

to address the emergent risk of natural disaster occurrence in the country. It is

the government’s job to come up with solutions that would help reduce and

mitigate the prevalent effects of climate change.

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Thus, researchers, engineers, and experts collaboratively come up with

the idea of incorporating the ‘socio-economic profile’ analysis along with other

planning activities in a synchronized way to address climate change adaptation

that aims to guarantee that the resources are strategically allocated to maximize

benefits. The need to maximize and strengthen the socio-economic profile with

regards to natural hazards will help disaster risk reduction.

Communities play a vital role to help mitigate these hazards for they are

most at risk. According to the Municipal Capacity Development Program (2011),

the Socio-Economic Profile Analysis is one way to provide a ‘birds-eye-view’ of a

community. It can assist municipalities in identifying unique and shared

characteristics for the purpose of implementing growth strategies, development

planning, and supporting and growing local services. It should be noted that

responsible management of the environment and its resources, and flexible and

responsive development could help prevent negative impacts. Socio-economic

profile displays the combined and comparable statistical snapshots of a certain

community, such as demographics, average annual income, and cost of housing,

mobility in and out of the community.

Hence, it is thereby this study’s objective to guide, verify and recommend,

relevant measures that would help the municipality become a disaster resilient

one. This study aims to ensure an appropriate combination of land uses that

would be available to support the locale’s economic goal, provide further services
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and business to people, provide them massive evacuation facility if needed, and

promote environmental protection and natural disaster response.

Background of the Study

A municipality’s socio-economic status can be based on income, education

level, occupation, and social status in the community. The socio-economic status

of a community can also describe the condition of the whole community; thus,

can signify the life condition and made living of the entire population that

inhabits within that community.

This study aimed to assess the socio-economic profile of Tolosa Leyte to

generate empirical data and baseline information on the socio-economic

condition of the municipality and in order to evaluate the particular areas that

show risks based on the existing hazards.

Geographical Location

Tolosa is a town in the Eastern Visayas Region. The municipality occupies

a portion of the northeastern coastline of Leyte, twenty-four kilometers south of

Tacloban, the provincial capital of Leyte. It straddles the Pan-Philippine Highway,

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an overland route that connects Mindanao to Metro Manila. It faces the historic

Leyte Gulf and beyond it is the Pacific Ocean.

Tolosa is bounded on the north to the northeast by the Municipality of

Tanuan and the Guinarona River, southeast by the Municipality of Dulag, west by

the Municipality of Tabon-tabon, and east by the San Pedro Bay. The place is

strategically located for maritime communication. It guards access to the Leyte

Gulf along the line of sight towards the southeastern tip of the island of Samar.

It is also centrally positioned in relation to a cluster of municipalities, forming a

semi-circumference on the northeast side of Leyte.

Tolosa is a 5th class municipality. As to its urbanization, it is classified as

partly urban. The municipality has a land area of 22.54 square kilometers or 8.70

square miles which constitutes 0.36% of Leyte's total area. Its population as

based on the 2015 Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) was nearly 20,978. This

represented 1.22% of the total population of Leyte province or 0.47% of the

overall population of the Eastern Visayas region. Politically, the municipality of

Tolosa is subdivided into 15 barangays, a part of which is at the center of the

municipality and 14 barangays are located in the outlying areas.

Topography

Elevation
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The municipality is triangular in shape with its coastline along the Leyte

Gulf as the base. Its terrain is extensively flat. The lowland portions lie along the

northern and northeastern side. The whole landscape slopes towards south

facing the Municipality of Dulag.

Mountainous terrain straddles the municipality’s southern boundary with

Dulag along Barangay San Roque, southwest to Barangay San Vicente and to

Catmon Hill. The upland’s highest point is located at Brgy. Capangihan. Another

high point rises at the northern end. This is the legendary Mt. Inapusong at Brgy.

Olot.

Low flat lands comprise the whole coastal strip at the base of Tolosa’s

triangular territory. At some hundred meters from the shoreline, this strip is

dissected by the national highway running along a length of more than 9

kilometers. The low lying plains taper to 1,611.1837 hectares on the western

boundary. They cover 75 percent of the municipal territory. The mountainous

portions cover 25 percent.

A provincial road forks westward from a section in Brgy. Imelda, runs

through the western barangays connecting Quilao, Cantariwis, Canmogsay,

Malbog, San Vicente, Burak and Telegrafo, where it rejoins the Pan Philippine

Highway. The urban section of the municipality is in lowlands beside the coast.

Eight barangays string along the coastal strip and the national

thoroughfare on a low-level terrain. Undulations are nowhere prominent.

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Land Resources

The municipality of Tolosa, Leyte has a total land area of approximately

2,171.5058 hectares. Generally, the entire lands are classified as alienable and

disposable as per DENR record. According to law, lands that can be classified

under alienable and disposable are agricultural lands only. Since Tolosa has no

forest lands, it is reasonable that all lands can be considered A&D.

Table 1. Land
Classification (Source:
DENR, 2018)
Land Classification Area in Hectare Percent to Total

Alienable/Disposable 2,171.5058 100.00%

TOTAL 2,171.5058 100.00%

The vision of Tolosa has long been established and known to become an

alternate destination for rest and recreation in Leyte, the center of fishery

education and growing agro-industrial town with an adaptive, resilient, and God-

fearing people enjoying a peaceful and ecologically balanced and safe

environment with a diversified and self-sufficient economy under strong local

leadership.

In consonance to its vision, it is thereby professed in this study that it is

concerned with the development of Tolosa in analyzing its socio-economic profile

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and the ability of the town to withstand disasters in order to become a resilient

community.

Tolosa was also within the 15% of the country’s population who suffered

the effects of the aftermath of the Super Typhoon Yolanda. Its people

experienced ultimate survival- the need for food and safe water to drink, shelter,

untreated injuries, lack of sanitation and personal hygiene belongings. The

casualties of the neighboring municipalities, Tolosa and Dulag, were about 675 in

total due to the occurrence of storm surge. The local government unit (LGU) of

this premise has merely adopted to the ways and provisions of conducting

disaster risk preparedness and mitigation. The beneficiary will not just be the

residents but all the other individual living in the said whereabouts.

Hence, in order to minimize the risks of natural calamities that might

happen in the future, this study was undertaken with optimism and whatever is

the output will serve as an input to the readers.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to focus on the socio-economic status of Tolosa, Leyte as

an input to disaster risk resilient community. Specifically it sought to answer the

following socio-economic measures:

A. Profile of Tolosa Leyte:

a. Demography
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b. Facilities

c. Geographical Characteristics

d. Infrastructure

e. Types of Houses

B. Profile of the respondents in terms of:

a. Age

b. Educational Attainment

c. Income

d. Occupation

C. The particular areas in Tolosa that shows risks based on:

a. Fire Hazard

b. Flood Hazard

c. Ground Shaking Hazard

d. Rain-Induced Landslide Hazard

e. Storm Surge Hazard

f. Tropical Cyclone Hazard

g. Tsunami Hazard

D. What would be the appropriate engineering interventions in Tolosa,

in particular?

Conceptual Framework
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This study used the concept of demography to identify the population,

total number of household and political subdivisions of this municipality; facilities

and infrastructures to identify the needs of the municipality regarding with these

aspects; geographical characteristics to identify the land areas and location; type

of houses to identify the structures of their houses; age to identify the age

bracket; educational status for the classification of what level of literacy that

comprise the community; health condition for the assessment of the perceived

needs of the community regarding with these aspects; and income and

employment status as the basis of their source of income.

After the information were gathered, the researchers identified the

particular areas in Tolosa that show risks based on the following hazards; fire,

flood, ground shaking, rain-induced landslide, storm surge, tropical cyclone, and

tsunami. When the preceding phases are done, the researchers will now

formulate the appropriate engineering interventions of Tolosa based on the

desired information and results gathered that will be gathered in this study.
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SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROFILE OF TOLOSA

LEYTE IN TERMS OF:

A. Profile of Tolosa Leyte

a. Demography
b. Facilities I
c. Geographical Characteristics
d. Infrastructure N
e. Types of Houses
P
B. Profile of the respondents in terms of:
a. Age U
b. Educational Attainment
c. Income T
d. Occupation

I. Gathering and Processing of Data about

P
the profile of the respondents of Tolosa.
R
O
II. Identify particular areas in Tolosa that
show risks based on hazards: C
 Flood
 Ground Shaking E
 Rain- Induced Landslide S
 Storm Surge
 Storm Surge S
 Tropical Cyclone
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O
U
ANALYSIS OF DATA
T
P
DISASTER RESILIENT TOLOSA
U
Figure 1: T
Significance ofConceptual
the Study Framework of the Study

As one of the priority areas of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

Plan, preparedness plays a vital role in carrying out effective actions in every

sector in response to disasters. In as much as it aims to strengthen Filipino

communities in terms of inculcating disaster awareness among its people, it is

expected that being prepared would eventually lead them into safer, adaptive

and resilient citizens of the country. (Mercader and Sesio, 2014)

The results of the data gathered on this study will benefit the following:

Community. The output of this research will serve as a guide for further

improvements of Tolosa, Leyte. It aims not only to provide solution for the

existing problems, but also for them to be aware and be prepared of the

calamities that might occur and affect their way of life.

Local Government Unit. Will serve as a tool to inform the public

particularly the locals on both disaster resilience and preparedness. This will also
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serve as a guide for the municipality to have a well-organized scheme by means

of opening opportunities (businesses or franchise), increase the number of

investors, and establishments in terms of Tolosa’s economy as it will drive a

solution to existing and future problems of the town. This study will be used by

the municipality to implement laws and ordinances that will mitigate the impact

of human activities to natural environment.

Planners/Engineers. The affirmative outcome of the study gives new

opportunities and learning experience to engineers who will handle all the

physical

Researchers. The researchers will contribute plans and information

about the development of the land by providing a comprehensive overview of

household measures of resilience and levels of disaster preparedness.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study aims to focus on the socio-economic profile of Tolosa, Leyte

and to assess the existing hazard in the municipality. Inasmuch as this study only

focuses in Tolosa, its results may not apply to other municipality nor to the other

localities in Leyte for the results of this inquiry may only be descriptive of the

indicated setting.
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Despite these limitations, the researchers hope that the results of this

study will contribute significant data that will pave the way towards an input to

the locals minimizing the risks brought about by natural calamities that might

occur in the future.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding of this paper, some terms are used either

conceptually or operationally defined.

Age - the number of years that have passed since a person’s date of birth.

Concrete Type of Houses – one type of house made from concrete with

reinforcing steels for additional strength. They are thought of as being

unconventional as they are not built using brick or with a timber frame structure.

Demography - is the study of human populations – their size, composition and

distribution across space – and the process through which populations change.

Disaster Resilient Community – a community able to utilize available

resources (energy, communication, transportation, food, etc.) to respond to,

withstand, ad recover from adverse situations especially during disasters.

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Educational Attainment – term used by statisticians to refer to the highest

degree of education an individual has completed as defined by the US Census

Bureau Glossary.

Facilities - A place, amenity, or piece of equipment provided for a particular

purpose.

Fire Hazard – a fire accident that can happen at any given time may it be in

household or an industrial zone. The primary cause of a fire hazard is negligence

and carelessness that can result to accidents such as an injury, environmental

damage, and even death.

Flood – An overflow of water from rivers or streams that will cause damages to

people and property in the low lying areas.

Geographical Characteristics – is defined as any physical characteristic of the

earth's surface and can also be defined by the following terms such as

landscapes, topography, or terrains.

Ground Shaking – a hazard that is linked with earthquake that will impact the

daily lives of people.

Hazard - is a situation, or a behavior that might cause injury, illness, damage to

property and impact to environment.

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Income – is the revenue a business earns from selling its goods and services or

the money an individual receives in compensation for his or her labot, services,

or investments.

Infrastructures - are physical and institutional structures that are necessary for

a society to function, or the features and utilities necessary for an economy to

function.

Light Material Type of Houses – implies an unusual approach to house

design. It starts at the small scale of material composition. Materials themselves

are designable structures, consisting of various substances, elements and

substructures, such as fibers, metal, polymers, wood chips, and clay particle, to

name quite many.

Makeshift Type of Houses – cheap shelters made from any material available

rather than properly designed strong building.

Mixed Type of Houses – include diverse types of housing units, such as

apartments, town homes, and/or single family homes for people with a range

income levels.

Population - is a statistical sample that is drawn from a pool such as people or

even animals in an area, place or region.

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Rain- Induced Landslide - are sudden movement of the ground, mainly the

soil itself and rocks down a slope due to heavy rainfall that results to damage to

property, environment and even loss of lives.

Risk – is the potential for uncontrolled loss of something of value. The possibility

or chance of loss, danger, or injury.

Socio-economic Status - is a measure of an individual’s standing both

economic and sociological. It is measured based on the individual’s occupation,

income and education.

Socio-economic Profile Analysis – is a tool that provides “birds-eye view” of

a group of community. The analysis can assist the municipalities in identifying

unique and shared characteristics for the purpose of implementing growth

strategies, development planning, and supporting and growing local services.

Storm Surge – is a rise in sea level that occurs during tropical cyclones, intense

storms also known as typhoons or hurricanes. The storms produce strong winds

that push the water into shore, which can lead to flooding. This makes storm

surges very dangerous for coastal regions.

Tropical Cyclone – is a rapidly-rotating storm system characterized by a low-

pressure center, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that

produce heavy rain. Tropical cyclones typically form over large bodies of

relatively warm water.

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Tsunami – also called seismic sea wave or tidal wave, catastrophic ocean wave,

usually caused by a submarine earthquake, an underwater or coastal landslide,

or a volcanic eruption.