Written by: Madison Wu
Visual by: Chiara Valenzuela
The Philippines is the most typhoon prone country in the world, due to its geographic location. According to The Asian Disaster Reduction Center, every year an average of 20 typhoons is estimated to occur in the Philippines, five of which are destructive. One of the regions most vulnerable to natural disasters in the Philippines is Ilocos. The aftermath of these typhoons can be quite calamitous, making it difficult for those in the region to lead their lives. One reason that these tropical storms are so detrimental is their impact on education. Education is of the utmost importance, but it is hard to attain when one is below the poverty threshold, especially when frequent typhoons and tropical storms further reduce the economic capabilities possible.
The difficulty to recover from tropical storms can be seen from the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Typhoon Super Yolanda, which was one of the most powerful and deadly tropical cyclones to ever make landfall. Studies classify the 2013 typhoon, Yolanda, as a Category 5 typhoon, which took the lives of more than 6000 people and left irremediable damage in its path. And in December of 2019, a Category 4 typhoon, Typhoon Kammuri, powered through the Philippines. Jamie Tarabay from the New York Times quotes, “A half-million people huddled in evacuation centers, waiting for the storm to pass.” The typhoon ripped rooftops off of houses, dismantled power lines, collapsed infrastructure, and caused flooding, altogether leaving a massive economic strain on the repaired damage of the cost.
When the solidity of houses and schools are wrecked, students may be prevented from attending school. Furthermore, flooded roads can ultimately intercede with one’s conventional route to school. It is a possibility that during these typhoons kids can lose a family member or loved one, making the situation both emotionally and economically damaging.
For many, it can be hard to recuperate from the drastic annihilation of these typhoons. Not only are tropical cyclones a common occurrence in the Ilocos region, but many Filipino citizens from the region do not have the financial assistance to support themselves after suffering the aftereffects of the storms. Many families are hit economically, and therefore for many families the priority is to make a living wage to sustain their families on. This results in teenagers leaving school to help contribute to their families net income, and may cause an overall reduction in school enrollment.
The wealth gap in the Philippines is one of the greatest in the world, and more than a quarter of the population lives in extreme poverty. In the Northern Luzon region of Ilocos, where typhoons and natural disasters are frequent, it is difficult for those in poverty to escape its constant cycle. It is possible that this is mainly due to the unequal distribution of quality education. If only a certain percentage of people have access to quality schooling opportunities, those who are unable to acquire more knowledge and improve their overall productivity levels will be placed at an unfair advantage. Those of lower socioeconomic status will be more likely to not qualify for better-paying jobs, hence allowing unequal access to schooling opportunities to ultimately lead to greater inequities.
Works Cited
Brown, Sophie. “The Philippines Is the Most Storm-Exposed Country on Earth.” Time, Time, 11 Nov. 2013, world.time.com/2013/11/11/the-philippines-is-the-most-storm-exposed-country-on-earth/.
“Information on Disaster Risk Reduction of the Member Countries.” Asian Disaster Reduction Center（ADRC）, www.adrc.asia/nationinformation.php?NationCode=608&Lang=en.
“Learn Facts about the Philippines, Poverty and Development.” Opportunity International, opportunity.org/what-we-do/where-we-work/philippines-facts-about-poverty.
Tarabay, Jamie. “Typhoon Kammuri Kills at Least 17 as It Powers Through Philippines.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 3 Dec. 2019, www.nytimes.com/2019/12/03/world/asia/philippines-typhoon-tisoy-kammuri.html.
“Yolanda (2013) Storm Surges in Tacloban City, Leyte.” UP NOAH Center, 4 Apr. 2017, center.noah.up.edu.ph/yolanda-storm-surge-tacloban-city/.
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