Disaster Preparedness Philippines

Prepare for Disasters

Disaster Preparedness

During five years living in the Greater Manila area I have walked through flooded streets, ridden in a pedicab with water up to our seat, heard tin roofs rattling and banging in our compound in Paranaque during typhoons, watched children play and swim in highways while buses and jeepneys plowed through the water near them. I've stayed in a cottage close to the beach at the Lido Beach Resort, in Cavite, during a surprise storm. In the morning the catamaran that was on the beach was missing, apparently swept away by the wind and waves.

There have been disasters occur while we lived there. Fires where many shanty homes burned down, flooding rivers where many people have died in mud slides along the river banks, ferry boats and other boats have sunk.

I never prepared past having a Katadyn pocket water filter to filter drinking water and keeping copies of important papers and my passport in a safe place.

 

There is also the possibility of volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. Be ready to grab your valuables and flee if advised to. 

I plan to be more prepared in future. I plan to follow the steps outlined at the US State Department website. 

Watch this video about developing Situational Awareness.

Update July 30, 2015: The government has warned that there is a possibility of an imminent "7.5 killer earthquake" in Metro Manila and out into surrounding provinces. See this article in the Sun Star Manila. You may want to adjust your travel plans accordingly. Maybe you will want to visit some islands other than Luzon. Cebu is a great place to visit. Check out other places in my article about adventure in the Philippines.

Keep things ready to go at all times.

UN raps Philippines for failing to rehouse typhoon homeless (as reported by Channel News Asia July 31, 2015.)

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This post will be expanded. Check back for more information about disaster preparedness in the Philippines. Last updated July 30, 2022.