Livelihood and vulnerability in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda: lessons of community and resilience

Tan-Mullins, May; Eadie, Pauline; Atienza, Maria Ela; Mullins, May Tan

Abstract

Livelihood strategies that are crafted in ‘extra-ordinary’ post-disaster conditions should also be able to function once some semblance of normalcy has resumed. This article aims to show that the vulnerability experienced in relation to Typhoon Yolanda was, and continues to be, directly linked to inadequate livelihood assets and opportunities. We examine the extent to which various livelihood strategies lessened vulnerability post-Typhoon Yolanda and argue that creating conditions under which disaster survivors have the freedom to pursue sustainable livelihood is essential in order to foster resilience and reduce vulnerability against future disasters. We offer suggestions to improve future relief efforts, including suggestions made by the survivors themselves. We caution against rehabilitation strategies that knowingly or unknowingly, resurrect pre-disaster vulnerability. Strategies that foster dependency, fail to appreciate local political or ecological conditions or undermine cooperation and cohesion in already vulnerable communities will be bound to fail. Some of the livelihood strategies that we observed post-Typhoon Yolanda failed on some or all of these points. It is important for future policy that these failings are addressed.

Citation

Tan-Mullins, M., Eadie, P., Atienza, M. E., & Mullins, M. T. (2020). Livelihood and vulnerability in the wake of Typhoon Yolanda: lessons of community and resilience. Natural Hazards, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-03984-z

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 24, 2020
• Online Publication Date: May 13, 2020
• Publication Date: May 13, 2020
• Deposit Date: Apr 29, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: May 14, 2021
• Journal: Natural Hazards
• Print ISSN: 0921-030X
• Electronic ISSN: 1573-0840
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-03984-z
• Keywords: Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous); Atmospheric Science; Water Science and Technology
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4360529
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11069-020-03984-z
• Additional Information: Received: 14 July 2018; Accepted: 24 April 2020; First Online: 13 May 2020