Typhoon Disaster Response amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Successive Typhoons in The Philippines in 2020
(2021) VBRM15 20211Division of Risk Management and Societal Safety
- Abstract
- The objective of this thesis is to analyze how typhoon response operations in the Philippines were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This multi-hazard scenario is not a singular case, many places around the world have been exposed to similar dilemmas of natural hazards occurring simultaneously as the pandemic. This study was carried out with the intention of better understanding the interplay of concurrent hazards and the type of impact they can cause to society, creating new issues as well as exacerbated preexisting ones. The primary data used for this research consisted of twelve semi-structured interviews with informants from Philippine government and humanitarian organizations and the secondary data is based on existing literature.... (More)
- The objective of this thesis is to analyze how typhoon response operations in the Philippines were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This multi-hazard scenario is not a singular case, many places around the world have been exposed to similar dilemmas of natural hazards occurring simultaneously as the pandemic. This study was carried out with the intention of better understanding the interplay of concurrent hazards and the type of impact they can cause to society, creating new issues as well as exacerbated preexisting ones. The primary data used for this research consisted of twelve semi-structured interviews with informants from Philippine government and humanitarian organizations and the secondary data is based on existing literature. The results show that a concurrent hazard scenario brings significant challenges to response operations. The health safety regulations presented in order to curb the spread of the pandemic had to be incorporated into all parts of the typhoon response. Changes implemented ranged from the switch to remote working and increased reliance on digital technology; the use of PPE at all times; physical distancing, especially at the evacuation sites; to the restrictions on movements around the country. This study has shown that there is still a lot to learn with regards to this topic. It has also shown that there is a growing need to invest more in preparedness, as well as adopt a more holistic and flexible approach to planning when it comes to hazards in the future. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- COVD-19 has affected multiple levels of society since it was declared a global pandemic in March 2020. In the Philippines, this had severe implications on disaster risk management once the typhoon season began. Emergency responders were faced with the task of recalibrating plans in order to meet the demands of multi-hazard scenario. The arrival of three destructive typhoons within a period of three weeks in late 2020 tested these plans and protocols.
This study was carried out with the intention of better understanding the interplay of concurrent hazards and the type of impact they can cause to society, creating new issues as well as exacerbating pre existing ones. The primary data used for this research consisted of twelve... (More) - COVD-19 has affected multiple levels of society since it was declared a global pandemic in March 2020. In the Philippines, this had severe implications on disaster risk management once the typhoon season began. Emergency responders were faced with the task of recalibrating plans in order to meet the demands of multi-hazard scenario. The arrival of three destructive typhoons within a period of three weeks in late 2020 tested these plans and protocols.
This study was carried out with the intention of better understanding the interplay of concurrent hazards and the type of impact they can cause to society, creating new issues as well as exacerbating pre existing ones. The primary data used for this research consisted of twelve semi-structured interviews with informants from the Philippine government and humanitarian organizations, with the secondary data coming from documentary reports and existing literature. The results show that a concurrent hazard scenario brings significant challenges to response operations. The health and safety regulations implemented in order to curb the spread of the pandemic had to be incorporated into all parts of the typhoon response. Changes implemented ranged from the switch to remote working and increased reliance on digital technology; the use of personal protective equipment; physical distancing, especially in evacuation centers; and restrictions on movement across the country. This study has shown that there is a growing need to invest in a more robust disaster risk management system that includes biological hazards and strengthens health systems; as well as adopting a more holistic and flexible approach to planning when it comes to hazards in the future. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9058385
- author
- Gonzalo Ladera, Lia Anne LU and Tiemroth, Auria LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- VBRM15 20211
- year
- 2021
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Disaster response, Typhoons, Compound risks, COVID-19
- language
- English
- id
- 9058385
- date added to LUP
- 2021-06-30 13:50:15
- date last changed
- 2021-06-30 13:50:15
@misc{9058385,
abstract = {{The objective of this thesis is to analyze how typhoon response operations in the Philippines were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This multi-hazard scenario is not a singular case, many places around the world have been exposed to similar dilemmas of natural hazards occurring simultaneously as the pandemic. This study was carried out with the intention of better understanding the interplay of concurrent hazards and the type of impact they can cause to society, creating new issues as well as exacerbated preexisting ones. The primary data used for this research consisted of twelve semi-structured interviews with informants from Philippine government and humanitarian organizations and the secondary data is based on existing literature. The results show that a concurrent hazard scenario brings significant challenges to response operations. The health safety regulations presented in order to curb the spread of the pandemic had to be incorporated into all parts of the typhoon response. Changes implemented ranged from the switch to remote working and increased reliance on digital technology; the use of PPE at all times; physical distancing, especially at the evacuation sites; to the restrictions on movements around the country. This study has shown that there is still a lot to learn with regards to this topic. It has also shown that there is a growing need to invest more in preparedness, as well as adopt a more holistic and flexible approach to planning when it comes to hazards in the future.}},
author = {{Gonzalo Ladera, Lia Anne and Tiemroth, Auria}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Typhoon Disaster Response amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study of Successive Typhoons in The Philippines in 2020}},
year = {{2021}},
}