Today, climate change is disrupting population displacements since more and more of these displacements are linked to natural disasters. The Philippines are particularly affected by these disasters (volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, typhoons, floods): there would be more than four million displaced people in the country. The team focused on the actions implemented locally to prevent the consequences of these disasters on population displacements. Indeed, many Filipinos, once the disaster has passed, return to their land: the action therefore takes place upstream. 

 

The Philippines are located in the “Pacific ring of fire” (strong volcanic, seismic and tectonic activity) just like Japan, Indonesia or Hawaii. In addition, the rise in temperatures has dramatic consequences on the health but also the working hours of certain inhabitants such as farmers. Finally, the rise in sea level is a problem that is not seriously taken into account even though it is a threat to the country.

 

During meetings with local actors, the team was able to realize the socio-economic dimension and the vulnerabilities intrinsic to the Philippine system which make the impact of natural disasters all the more important on populations, particularly farmers or fishermen. who cannot afford to leave their land without a livelihood. 

 

The team was able to understand, during its meetings, the notion of disaster which is the sum of danger, exposure and vulnerability. Disaster can only be avoided if one of these three factors decreases or disappears: this is called disaster risk reduction management. This cycle includes four steps: 

• theprevention: actions carried out before the occurrence of disasters in order to make communities resilient. 

• thepreparation: the plans, training and training carried out to prepare communities for possible disasters. 

• thereply: assistance and intervention during and directly after an emergency situation linked to the occurrence of a disaster. 

• therehabilitation: the process of supporting communities affected by emergencies. 

A large part of the funds are allocated to preparedness and not to rehabilitation since the goal  for the population is to adapt to avoid disasters or to adapt to them._cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_

 

Despite the actions implemented during the various stages of the cycle (construction of infrastructure, response cluster system, cash for work programs, construction of no-build zones), certain challenges remain. These obstacles are of a community nature (access to information), economic (environmental issues pushed to the background, North/South inequalities), political (corruption, lobbying) or even social (prostitution network of displaced persons).  

 

The team, when starting to work on the project, thought that most of the actions would take place downstream of disasters, to rebuild, relocate and rehabilitate local populations. However, by going to the field, she was able to see all the work done upstream of disasters in order to prevent them and increase the resilience of Filipinos. 

 

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Reesah would particularly like to thank the Solidarity and Development Fund for Student Initiatives of the University of Aix-Marseille for its essential help in carrying out this project. It is thanks to his trust and support that the team was able to carry out its work.