Building Climate-Resilient Cities in the Philippines

The Philippines has the highest risk for disasters in the world. The nation is vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but the primary concern remains the 20 typhoons, on average, that strike annually. Given that the majority of the country’s 114 million residents live in coastal areas, these typhoons pose a substantial threat by bringing heavy rains and causing landslides. It is projected that by 2030 more than half the country’s residents will live in urban areas, which could suffer devastating consequences from typhoons, floods, landslides and drought.

 

CRS’ Climate Resilient Cities project, supported by USAID, is implemented in six cities in the Philippines, including Cotabato City. The city was severely affected by Tropical Storm Paeng in November 2022, impacting 70,000 families.

Photo by Benny Manser/CRS

 

Typhoon Haiyan, which made landfall in central Philippines in 2013, is an example of the devastating impact a single storm can have. As one of the most powerful storms ever recorded, it resulted in the loss of more than 6,000 lives.

 

Typhoon Haiyan battered Tacloban City in the central Philippines on November 10, 2013. CRS and our partner Caritas Philippines responded immediately with aid.

Photo by Kent Truog for CRS

 

Permanently Flooded Communities

In addition to those ongoing difficulties, the Philippines faces a problem of permanently flooded communities. Cotabato City in the southern Philippines is one example. The city serves as a catch basin for the Mindanao River, which empties into Ilana Bay where 13 districts are permanently flooded. Residents there face the impact of climate change every day.

 

Cotabato City in the Philippines is a catch basin where the Mindanao River basin empties into Ilana Bay. Thirteen of the city’s districts are permanently flooded. Residents are confronted with the impact of climate change on a daily basis.

Photo by Benny Manser/CRS

 

Joemar Buhituan, father of six who had been a lifelong farmer in Cotabato City, has permanent flooding on his once-fertile fields, rendering them useless for agriculture.

“My plants have been submerged in water. It is no longer happening once a year. It is now happening every month, so our rice can no longer survive. It's painful to accept, but there's nothing I can do. If we need to go there, we have to ride a boat. How can our plants survive that?” says Joemar.

“It seems that the water is getting permanently higher. That is why we need better sources of income because if I would rely on rice planting, my children won't be able to finish school,” says Joemar.

Determined to support their family, Joemar and his wife have adapted by finding other means of income.

 

Joemar Buhituan, with his family from Tamontaka III district in Cotabato City, was a rice farmer. He supports his family by selling vegetables or by fishing since his rice farm is now flooded year-round.

Photo by Benny Manser/CRS

 

“When most of our plants are flooded, we try to find jobs in the city, like construction. There are many jobs I try to do, not only construction. We try to look for other sources of income,” says Joemar. Currently they are buying and selling vegetables to support their family.

One Solution: Harnessing Climate Data for Resilient City Planning

 

Adella Fiesta, a coordinator in the Cotabato City Planning and Development Office, uses geographic information system mapping and climate-adjusted hazard assessment reports to increase capacity in mapping, disaster preparedness and environmental protection.

Photo by Benny Manser/CRS

 

Against this backdrop of climate change challenges are people—and programs—working to change the tide of climate change impact. Adella Fiesta, a civil engineer with 40 years of experience, is a coordinator for Cotabato’s City Planning and Development office. Adella understands well the importance of effective planning for the city's future.

“I hope the future generation will still enjoy the things that we are enjoying now. But it is our generation now that should do the things that are possible for them to be able to live comfortably. And number one is to protect the environment, plant more trees,” says Adella.

 

Flood hazard maps are being created through flood modeling and simulation using data such as rainfall values. The maps show the likelihood of a particular event happening and the magnitude of the event due to climate change.

Photo by Benny Manser/CRS

 

Armed with the power of a geographic information system, or GIS, and climate-adjusted hazard assessment reports, she is leading the charge toward a more resilient and sustainable city as part the Climate Resilient Cities project funded by USAID and managed by Catholic Relief Services. The project is collaborating with local governments and local partners in six cities in the Philippines, including Cotabato City. 

GIS and climate-adjusted hazard assessment reports have emerged as a game-changer. By harnessing this technology, Adella and her team can help to accurately identify hazard-prone areas, such as flood zones, and assess their vulnerability. This invaluable tool called data banking and analysis is helping to enhance local capacity for mapping, disaster preparedness and environmental protection of coastal communities.

 

Local climate champions such as Adella Fiesta, a coordinator in the Cotabato City Planning and Development Office, participate in a mangrove planting activity during the city’s first Earth Week celebration.

Photo by Benny Manser/CRS

 

“GIS is very important in data banking. We can determine the places that are prone to hazards, which area is prone to flooding and whether it is high, medium or low,” says Adella.

Climate Resilient Cities initiatives also include nature-based solutions through mangrove restoration, and in other project areas through the use of forest rangers and tree nurseries, helping mitigate the impacts of climate change. A technical working group for key climate change action plans has been established in Cotabato City to provide administrative and policy support, enhancing the skills of city personnel for effective climate initiatives.

 

A mangrove nursery near the Tamontaka branch of the Mindanao River is one of the nature-based solutions that the Climate Resilient Cities project team in Cotabato City is developing with local partners. Mangrove areas help to act as a natural barrier against storm surges.

Photo by Benny Manser/CRS

 

“The Climate Resilient Cities project has been very instrumental in helping Cotabato City become more resilient to the effects of climate change because it has brought together a lot of organizations ... to work and achieve a common goal: to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change,” says Aelan Arumpac, a former city administrator.

 

On Earth Day, local climate groups from Cotabato City conducted a coastal clean-up and mangrove planting in the area established by the Climate Resilient Cities project.

Photo by Benny Manser/CRS

The impacts of climate change may be strongly felt in this coastal city, but by leveraging technology, fostering collaboration and implementing innovative solutions, projects like Climate Resilient Cities can help communities become more resilient.

To learn more about the Climate Resilient Cities project, watch this video.

Climate Resilient Cities is a five-year project implemented in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development, Korea International Cooperation Agency and Catholic Relief Services in collaboration with Conservation International, Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation and the Rocky Mountain Institute.

 

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