ZEMCH 2015 - International Conference Proceedings | Page 139

(2014) is recorded as an approximate of 107 million people; based on the estimation of world’s
population (2014) by the United States’ Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets, in addition of 12 million
people who live overseas. Philippines total islands area is 300,000 square kilometers, considering
it as the 5th longest coastline and also as the 3rd deepest country in the world. The Philippines is
a tropical maritime climate, usually known by its hot and humid weather. Introducing three main
seasons; hot dry season, rainy season, and cool dry season. Coolest month starts from January,
warmest in May, and the rainiest season from June to August. On the other hand, it is also usual
for unexpected rain or storms to visit Philippines islands anytime through the year, provided by
the world’s weather and climate information (2013). Moreover, the Philippines is known by its distinguished environmental nature, because of its location and ground level. It introduces volcanic
island nature, earthquakes and mainly heavy rain that leads to major natural disasters such as
storms, floods or typhoons.
3.2 Environmental Disasters
One of the environmental problems (disasters) the country is facing regularly is floods; they are
the result of heavy continuance rain falling on rivers, and because of its deep surface levels, water
easily enters islands’ surface. “An average of 20 tropical cyclones, of which 5 to 7 are destructive,
hit the country every year” (AusAID, 2011). Floods end in massive destruction in the city as a whole;
destroying its nature (i.e. landscape, agriculture), buildings (i.e. houses, schools, hospitals, governmental centers), public ways (i.e. subways/transportation bypass), and end up killing residents (elderly, men, women and many kids). Even when floods occur in a smaller scale, mentioned by one
of the residents in Manila, Philippines capital; “water can stay more than a day or two, residents
may swim or use boats to travel from one area to another, where water levels can reach our knees
and many times to our chests, forcing us to collect our furniture in our houses, arranging them on
top of each other, protecting and raising them from water level”. The recent and biggest Typhoon
in the region, internationally known as Haiyan (Yolanda) occurred in the Philippines in December
2013, which resulted in massive damages and deaths.

4. Case Study
Selected area is Metro Manila city; sel ection is made based on areas’ location, population, high
percentage of damages obtained, and availability of complete information and studies made earlier by different associations such as Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery Trust
Fund of the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID). Figures below (Fig.1 and
Fig.2) illustrate images of Metro Manila; Figure 1 presents map of the city with clear view of islands
connection to the water surfaces and river lines. Figure 2 illustrates realistic image taken in 2012
during NECK-DEEP flood.

Sustainable solutions for the Philippines built environment due to natural disasters

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