Climate Resilience in the Philippines
Climate resilience in the Philippines is being undermined by undelivered flood-control projects and collusion, leading to public demands for accountability.
The country is highly vulnerable to typhoons, monsoon rains, sea-level rise, and persistent flooding, making it a prime example of a region struggling with environmental crises.
Historian Karl Jacoby refers to this phenomenon as 'moral ecology', where disasters are explained in moral terms and blame is assigned.
In the Philippines, this has led to public calls for discipline, with vulnerability to disaster blamed on individual shortcomings, such as lack of foresight or civic responsibility.
Political leaders often portray disasters as the result of both natural hazards and lapses in personal or community practices, including failing to dispose of garbage properly, living in slum areas, or lacking discipline in the face of adversity.
Author's summary: Climate resilience in the Philippines requires accountability.