In the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, CARE has worked with communities on development projects to aid in rebuilding lives and livelihoods.
The Philippines has historically been one of the most vulnerable countries to extreme weather events in the Pacific. According to World Bank data, some 20 tropical cyclones cross the country every year, killing more than 1,000 people annually.
From 2000 to 2019, the Philippines experienced a total of 317 climate-fueled weather-related events, the highest among the most-affected countries, according to the Global Climate Risk Index. These events cost an average of US$ 3.2 billion per year during the period, ranking the country 4th in terms of economic loss and fatalities.
CARE’s work in the Philippines has focused largely on disaster response, aiding local allies with emergency preparedness, livelihoods recovery, and integrated risk management programs. After Typhoon Haiyan struck in 2013, CARE quickly scaled up its relief efforts to quickly deliver lifesaving aid to those affected by the Category-5 cyclone. But even nearly twenty years after that one particularly devastating climate-fueled weather event, the country is still dealing with the loss and damage.
Meanwhile, the typhoons keep coming year after year.
Photo by Josh Estey.