6 Typhoons in One Month in the Philippines: From STS Kristine (Trami) to ST Pepito (Man-Yi)

ECOWEB Situational Analysis No. 01, November 17, 2024

Situation Overview

The Philippines has been struck by a series of destructive tropical storms in just one month, marking a first in the country’s history. These include:

Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami) (entered PAR on October 21, made landfall in Divilacan, Isabela on October 24)
Super Typhoon Leon (Kong-rey) (entered PAR on October 26)
Typhoon Marce (Yinxing) (entered PAR on November 4, made landfall in Santa Ana, Cagayan on November 7)
Typhoon Nika (Toraji) (entered PAR on November 9, made landfall in Dilasag, Aurora, on November 11)
Super Typhoon Ofel (Usagi) (entered PAR on November 12, made landfall in Baggao, Cagayan on November 14)
Super Typhoon Pepito (Man-Yi) (entered PAR on November 14, made its first landfall in Panganiban, Catanduanes on November 16, then its second landfall in Dipaculao, Aurora on November 17), which remains active as of this report.

This rapid succession of typhoons has caused widespread devastation across multiple regions, affecting communities already struggling with vulnerabilities and limited resources.

Graphic showing the course of six typhoons and tropical storms that have hit or passed close to the Philippines in recent weeks. Nicholas Shearman, AFP

Overview of Impacts

Affected Population

Over 3 million families (approximately 11 million individuals) have been affected across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Thousands of families remain displaced, with many seeking shelter in evacuation centers or with host families.

Displacement

The combined impact of these typhoons has displaced more than 300,000 individuals, straining evacuation centers and local resources.

Damaged Housing

More than 250,000 homes have been damaged, including over 20,000 totally destroyed, leaving families in dire need of shelter and assistance.

Infrastructure and Livelihoods

Roads, bridges, schools, and healthcare facilities have sustained significant damage, disrupting access to essential services.
Agricultural areas have been devastated, particularly in farming-reliant regions, posing a severe threat to food security and economic stability. Fortunately, in some areas, a significant portion of crops had already been harvested before the typhoons struck.

Typhoon Pepito’s Exacerbating Impact

Typhoon Pepito, expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by November 18, 2024, has worsened the situation in already affected areas. Early reports indicate severe destruction, though comprehensive assessments are ongoing.

Situational Data Matrix

Aspect	STS Kristine & Super Typhoon Leon	Typhoon Marce	Typhoon Nika & Super Typhoon Ofel
Affected Families	2,568,215	158,756	132,366
Affected Persons	10,035,937	562,584	493,508
Barangays Affected	13,432	1,114	1,611
Displaced (Inside ECs)	14,159 families (54,592 persons)	14,067 families (42,367 persons)	13,835 families (41,568 persons)
Displaced (Outside ECs)	45,226 families (203,283 persons)	31 families (150 persons)	8,313 families (26,565 persons)
Total Displaced	59,385 families (257,875 persons)	14,098 families (42,517 persons)	22,148 families (68,133 persons)
Damaged Houses	183,806 (14,427 totally, 169,379 partially)	60,634 (2,982 totally, 57,652 partially)	6,856 (348 totally, 6,508 partially)
Humanitarian Assistance Provided	₱1,231,737,573.90	₱76,180,365.82	₱30,286,875.87

Areas Affected by Each Typhoon

Typhoon	Regions Affected
STS Kristine & Leon	NCR (Metro Manila), Regions I to XII (Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao), CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Caraga, CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region), BARMM (Bangsamoro)
Typhoon Marce	Region I (Ilocos), Region II (Cagayan Valley), and CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region)
Typhoon Nika & Ofel	Region I (Ilocos), Region II (Cagayan Valley), Region III (Central Luzon), Region V (Bicol), and CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region)
Typhoon Pepito	Currently affecting multiple regions with heavy rains and strong winds, adding to the burden of earlier typhoons, with full impact yet to be assessed.

Key Observations

Widespread Impact: The typhoons have affected nearly all regions of the country, with severe devastation in Luzon. The heaviest impacts have been recorded under STS Kristine and Super Typhoon Leon, while the full extent of Typhoon Pepito’s impact is still being assessed.
Exacerbated Vulnerabilities: Communities recovering from earlier typhoons now face additional challenges due to Typhoon Pepito’s ongoing destruction.
Strained Resources: The scale of displacement and infrastructure damage has overwhelmed local resources, requiring enhanced coordination and external support.

D. Recommendations to Address the Impact of Typhoons

D.1 Immediate Actions

ECOWEB’s Survivor and Community-Led Response (SCLR) approach offers a proven model for empowering communities to lead response, recovery and resilience-building efforts. Recognizing the existing capacities of affected communities is essential for rapid and empowering recovery. External support must complement these capacities by addressing gaps, enhancing community-led initiatives, and reinforcing existing mutual aid mechanisms, which are vital for building long-term community resilience. Coordination mechanism at the local level is also key for effective complementation of response efforts. Hence, recommendations for immediate actions are as follows:

Strengthen Community Engagement in Disaster Response:
- Ensure involvement of affected communities in determining and prioritizing needs for more effective and responsive emergency response. Adopt survivor and community-led crisis response (sclr) approach
- Empower affected communities to take the lead in early recovery efforts by leveraging their local knowledge and existing capacities to protect and rehabilitate remaining assets, with a focus on restoring livelihood resources.
- Provide flexible funding through micro-grants to support innovative, community-led solutions for faster recovery towards resilience building.
Enhance Coordination Mechanisms:
- Strengthen locally-coordinated disaster response mechanisms to ensure efficient resource allocation and strengthen complementation of efforts.
- Utilize local disaster risk reduction councils and multi-stakeholder platforms to align recovery efforts with community needs.
Implement the Nexus Approach for Sustainable Recovery:
- Integrate humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts into recovery plans to address both immediate needs and root causes of vulnerabilities.
- Align disaster response with long-term local and national development strategies to build resilience.
Prioritize heavily affected and isolated communities with lesser capacities to recover for immediate relief operations:
- Prioritize communities in GIDA and conflict affected areas.
- Initiate complementary immediate relief operations especially for communities affected by the typhoons multiple times.

D.2 Longer-Term Recommendations in Relation to the Climate Emergency
The unprecedented parade of six typhoons within a month underscores the escalating urgency of the climate emergency. Bold, transformative actions are essential at local, national and global levels to address vulnerabilities and build resilience. The Philippines, as a key advocate for equitable climate action and the Loss and Damage Fund, must lead by integrating community-based disaster risk reduction and management (CBDRRM) with nature-based solutions (NbS) and innovative policies to combat the effects of climate change.

Institutionalize Climate-Responsive Governance and Policies
- Mainstream climate-resilient policies across sectors, including agriculture, health, infrastructure, and natural resource management, with a strong emphasis on CBDRRM approaches to empower communities in risk identification and planning.
- Strengthen local government capacities for effective climate risk management, ensuring that community-level DRRM is integrated into local development plans and linked to national disaster resilience strategies.
- Strengthen existing national mechanisms or establish a National Climate Emergency Task Force with CSO representation to coordinate cross-sectoral climate action, promoting NbS and CBDRRM strategies alongside Loss and Damage Fund-supported initiatives.
Scale Up Investments in Resilient Infrastructure and NbS
- Construct climate-resilient housing, schools, and evacuation centers, integrating community participation in the design and implementation to ensure they meet local needs.
- Promote green infrastructure solutions, including mangrove forests for coastal protection, watershed restoration for flood mitigation, and coral reef rehabilitation to protect coastal communities.
- Leverage support from the Loss and Damage Fund to finance projects that combine resilient infrastructure with NbS, prioritizing community-driven solutions.
Expand Financing Mechanisms for Adaptation, Mitigation, and DRRM
- Mobilize the Loss and Damage Fund to support community-driven DRRM and NbS initiatives such as reforestation, sustainable water management, and agroforestry.
- Encourage public-private partnerships to fund community-based resilience projects that integrate DRRM and NbS, providing co-benefits for livelihoods, biodiversity, and climate adaptation.
Empower Communities through Locally-Led Climate Action, CBDRRM, and NbS
- Institutionalize the Survivor and Community-Led Response (SCLR) approach to enable local leadership in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery, emphasizing the integration of CBDRRM and NbS strategies.
- Combine Indigenous knowledge systems with scientific approaches to design adaptive solutions, such as mangrove reforestation, community-based flood monitoring, and sustainable watershed management.
- Train communities on DRRM practices that incorporate NbS, fostering ownership and capacity for long-term resilience building.
Enhance Adaptive Livelihoods through NbS and CBDRRM
- Support climate-smart agriculture, diversified livelihoods, and NbS-based income-generating activities, such as ecotourism, mangrove crab farming, and forest-based products, to reduce dependence on climate-sensitive sectors.
- Strengthen fisheries management and marine conservation through community-led approaches and NbS, including seagrass restoration and marine protected areas.
Foster Regional and Global Solidarity for Climate Justice and Community Resilience
- Advocate for accountability from high-emission countries, emphasizing the importance of supporting CBDRRM and NbS through international climate finance mechanisms, including the Loss and Damage Fund.
- Lead calls at COP29 for equitable resource distribution, ensuring that funds prioritize locally-led resilience efforts and community-based adaptation, mitigation, and recovery strategies.

Community-based DRRM and nature-based solutions must be at the heart of addressing the climate emergency. These approaches not only mitigate risks but also empower communities, strengthen ecosystems, and provide sustainable pathways for recovery and resilience. By leveraging the Loss and Damage Fund, the Philippines can champion these strategies to protect lives, restore the environment, and build a future where no one is left behind.

Conclusion

The parade of six typhoons in one month exemplifies the compounding effects of climate change, pushing the limits of local capacities and exposing the critical need for climate financing and justice. ECOWEB’s experience with the SCLR approach underscores the transformative power of empowering communities to lead their recovery and resilience-building efforts.

As the Philippines remains the most at-risk country globally for 16 consecutive years, COP29 must serve as a turning point, with global leaders fostering genuine partnerships to achieve a future where resilience is shared, justice is delivered, and no community is left behind.