Introduction

I. Philippine

as a Disaster Prone Area The Philippines is prone to various calamities having situated along the Western Pacific Basin, the world’s typhoon belt, with an average of 20 typhoons battering the archipelago every year. In fact, the country’s coastal and swamp areas are susceptible to flooding and storm surges.

The country is also home to geographical fault system as it is situated in the circumPacific Seismic Belt known as the “Pacific Rim of Fire.” This fault system is crossing our archipelago, hence, placing the nation as one of the earthquake prone countries in the world.

The 2017 World Risk Index also shows that the Philippines is third in the ranking of most disaster prone areas in the world.

II. National Capital Region and Disasters

The National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila is prone to earthquakes because it is surrounded by active faults including the Marikina Valley Fault System. Other distant faults such as the Philippine Faults, Lubang Faults, Manila Trench and Casiguran Faults, are threat as well. Because of the natural disasters that pose threat to Metro Manila, Manila was ranked as the second riskiest capital city after Tokyo to live in according to Swiss Re.

Further, based on historical data and studies of the Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the NCR, being transacted by two faults, the East and West Valley Faults, is at risk of a 7.2 magnitude earthquake with intensity VIII ground shaking. Two (2) studies had been made to determine the possible impact of such earthquake in the NCR: 1) the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS) Project in 2004 with the MMDA, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and PHIVOLCS; and 2) in 2013, updated risk calculations and maps were produced under the Greater Metropolitan Manila Area Risk Analysis Project (GMMA RAP) with the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC) Office of Civil Defense (OCD), Geoscience Australia (GA), and also PHIVOLCS. Based on these studies, this 7.2 Magnitude Earthquake is very destructive that will cause well-built buildings to be damaged, posts and towers to be toppled, mountainous and hilly areas to have landslides and liquefaction may occur in water-saturated areas.

In relation to that, the NCR has a population of 12,877,253 according to the 2015 national census. It is the most populous region in the Philippines, the 7th most populous metropolitan area in Asia, and the 3rd most populous urban area in the world.

The NCR, as the most populated region in the whole archipelago and considered as the business hub of the country, has high vulnerability to the said earthquake and will cause the country’s socio-economy to be disrupted. Further, it is foreseen that millions of Filipinos in NCR will be displaced in case this earthquake hits Metro Manila.

It is not only natural hazards but also man-made hazards which transpire in the Region. Fire incidents are also statistically high in Metro Manila. Per monitored fire incidents in the Region, in the year 2016, 543 fire incidents had affected locals of Metro Manila.