cause and effect yolanda essay

Insights and Analysis

Disaster Response Put to the Test: Lessons from Typhoon Yolanda

December 18, 2013

By Kriszia Lorrain Enriquez

More than one month after typhoon Yolanda (international name Haiyan), known as the world’s biggest typhoon, struck the Philippines, authorities now estimate that over 14 million people have been affected, including four million displaced.  The estimated death toll is at 6,069. The government is now on the hard road to recovery and reconstruction , allocating a total of 100 billion pesos in the 2014 budget for recovery and rehabilitation.

Disaster response put to test

Give the size, scope, and severity of Typhoon Yolanda, addressing the emergency that it caused to life and property would have been a challenge to any government.  Indeed, even in a disaster-prone country like the Philippines, the magnitude of Yolanda tested the national government’s disaster management response system. Local governments – historically the first responders in disaster-prone communities in the Philippines – were so overwhelmed by the destruction and loss of lives that just following regular immediate response procedures was challenging at best, and impossible in those hardest-hit areas.

Typhoon Yolanda took the country’s disaster management system back to the drawing board, with many experts and practitioners calling for a central, stand-alone disaster management agency. Photo/Flickr user IOM 2013 (Photo by Joe Lowry)

Five days after the typhoon struck, journalists began commenting that there was a lack of clarity on who was in charge from the national government. One government official answered back, “next time the response will be perfect,” and another admitted that there was a breakdown in the “system.”

In fact, the Philippines has in place specific disaster risk reduction and management policies: the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management (National DRRM) law and its Implementing Rules were passed in 2010.  The law highlights the role of local governments in disaster mitigation and preparation through the DRRM Councils at every tier of the government, including barangays (villages), municipalities, provinces, and the national government.  The law states that each local government must allocate 5 percent of their national internal revenue allotment for disaster preparedness.

However, the complexity of large-scale disasters such as Typhoon Yolanda undermines existing policies and structures. In the immediate aftermath, there was confusion in some areas on which government official was in charge of managing relief. We are now witnessing an embryonic practice of post-disaster governance where the local governments primarily, and the national government secondarily, are struggling to coordinate all sectors to effectively manage the disaster.  Three days passed before President Aquino declared a national state of calamity to focus relief and secure the affected areas. There was a controversial video where the secretary of the Interior and Local Government asked the mayor of Tacloban City six days after the disaster to issue a resolution allowing a national government take-over of the local government.  One official said this exercise is required in the national government’s crisis management operations manual document. However, the law clearly states that national government intervention immediately takes over if there are two or more regions affected by disasters.  In the case of Yolanda, there were almost four regions affected.  An immediate humanitarian response, instead of a narrow focus on the danger of interagency overlap, should have been prioritized.

A stand-alone disaster management agency

Typhoon Yolanda took the country’s disaster management system back to the drawing board, with many experts and practitioners calling for a central, stand-alone disaster management agency.

Efficient coordination of tasks, immediate response, and clear decisions were needed at the onset of disaster, but what transpired instead was a series of plodding consultations during a national emergency. Given the huge devastation, the national government’s slow and cautious response seemingly followed the limited role and capacity of a coordinating council and its secretariat. The Office of the Civil Defense’s (OCD) budget has declined significantly from 1 billion pesos in 2012 to 650 million in 2013. There were accounts of shortages of tents and satellite phones in the first few days after the disaster, which the NDRRMC sourced from other agencies such as Public Works and Highways and the Philippine Navy.  Having a more pronounced leader in the OCD and the Secretary of the Department of National Defense (DND) may not complete the equation, especially in large-scale disasters. A strong leader can be effective and efficient if he or she is institutionally armed.  After Yolanda, OCD and DND cannot be expected to lead in everything, including reviewing national and local government’s land use and disaster contingency plans, orchestrating emergency drills across agencies, and gearing up on needed equipment and infrastructure.

Toward recovery and rehabilitation

One of the most pressing concerns and opportunities now is in disaster recovery and rehabilitation.  On December 6, President Aquino signed the appointment of former Senator Ping Lacson as Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery, with cabinet rank.  Dubbed as the rehabilitation czar, Lacson will manage rehabilitation efforts, unify stakeholders’ efforts, and monitor recovery and rehabilitation efforts by the government. Many people lauded this appointment, as there will be a face to lead recovery and rehabilitation on a full-time basis, signaling the national government’s serious commitment to improving disaster management. Doing the math on damages and losses brought by Typhoon Haiyan and the cost of relief and rehabilitation leads us to invest in and improve mitigation and preparedness.  Below are some investments worth pursuing.

Better information and disaster preparedness

The people of Tacloban and at nearby areas never expected the gravity of such strong winds and storm surges.  An official with the DOST-Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Services Administration (PAGASA) admitted they weren’t “able to explain” its magnitude in press briefings and information materials. The mayor of Tacloban City said more lives could have been spared if the nature of storm surges would have been described as being more like a tsunami.  Some have suggested that simple illustrations be included in future storm signals advisories and weather terminologies.

Review of disaster contingency plans and quicker response

The DRRM law requires local governments to have DRRM plans that designate evacuation centers and articulate contingency protocols.  There were reports of floodwaters swallowing some evacuation centers, which tragically led to drowning among children and the elderly. Local governments should seriously take into account disaster risk in designating evacuation centers.  The national government should also strengthen its quick response plan in crisis situations through a system called Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis.  The plan should outline the worst-case scenarios and back-up plans to ensure immediate response.

Settlement planning should better integrate DRRM informed land use, zoning, and building codes.  The majority of our evacuation centers are schools, churches, and hospitals – institutional facilities that need retrofitting and improvements to withstand large-scale disasters.  Given the immensity and frequency of tropical cyclones and storm surges in the Philippines, safe areas for settlements should be designated.  It’s also high time for local governments to enforce no-build zones and for the national government to review and monitor compliance.

Kriszia Lorrain Enriquez is an assistant program officer for The Asia Foundation in the Philippines. She can be reached at [email protected] . The views and opinions expressed here are those of the individual author and not those of The Asia Foundation.

Previous in blog and podcast «  The Yolanda Tragedy: 7 Lessons in Early Emergency Response

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My concern are for the victims that were left homeless and had not received any aid or relief since the typhoon strikes. Those are my relatives who lives on the path of the typhoon in capiz. The baranggay Sta. Cruz, Sta. monica and Sto. Rosario Dumalag Capiz remained in a desperate situation. They have no food , water and shelter. We kept hearing about the aid coming from other countries yet nobody had even given them food. I have helped some of my relatives with few pcs. of galvanized metal to cover them from bad weather but thats all. They need some nails and wood to build their houses. I wish you can give some attention to these villages who are not the center of the government nor the media’s concern.

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Strong Causes and Effects of Typhoon Yolanda

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Introduction

The disaster management of the country has been put to test ever since Typhoon Yolanda (known internationally as Haiyan) struck the Visayas in November 2013. The typhoon is considered one of the strongest tropical cyclones that battered the Philippines, causing widespread destruction and misery. Even before Yolanda made landfall, it was already feared to be more destructive than Typhoon Sendong which struck Northern Mindanao two months earlier in September. It was considered one of the strongest tropical cyclones that battered the Philippines because it directly hit Eastern Visayas – a region that is prone to natural hazards due to its location .

Furthermore, the local meteorological agency Pagasa failed to detect its strength by not upgrading its alert status from blue (minimal danger) to green or yellow even after detecting unusual weather patterns. As a result, thousands of people were caught unprepared when the storm struck on November 7, 2013. Yolanda’s devastation can be attributed to several factors including slow response and relief efforts; lack of preparedness in disaster risk reduction; weak monitoring systems for climate-change-induced hazards such as landslides and flash floods; and failure to update building codes or enforce them properly given high susceptibility to storms and earthquakes.

Impact of Typhoon Yolanda

Destruction of infrastructure – The damage to infrastructure is extensive due to landslides, strong winds and storm surges. Major roads, bridges, and airports were impassable due to landslides, fallen trees, and downed power lines. Moreover, the storm surge destroyed coastal areas and resulted in massive flooding that damaged homes and coastal villages. Power supply disruption – The power supply was disrupted due to falling trees and power lines as well as flooding. It took a while before power was restored because of the damage to transmission lines in the Visayas and Mindanao. The water supply was also interrupted in most areas due to the collapse of the sewerage system.

Loss of livelihood – The typhoon caused damage to the agriculture sector such as coconut, banana, and rice plantations. Moreover, it destroyed livestock such as pigs and chickens. This results in the loss of livelihood of farmers and fishermen. Loss of life – The storm surge and landslides caused the death of thousands of people. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDDRMC), the death toll reached 6,300 with 1,777 missing. Moreover, the typhoon disabled people who are unable to work and earn. People with health problems such as diabetes and hypertension find it difficult to get the proper medication after the storm.

Loss of life

Disabled people – The disabled people are unable to work and earn. They are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. In the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda, they were not given priority in evacuation and relocation in temporary shelters. In addition, they were not given proper medication because they are poor. They cannot afford the medication because they do not have money. Health problems – People with health problems such as diabetes, hypertension, chronic respiratory diseases, and sickle-cell anemia are at risk during the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda . They are unable to get the proper medication because they are poor.

Displaced people

People who were displaced by typhoon Yolanda were not able to go back to their homes for several months. In the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda, many houses and property were damaged or destroyed. They are unable to go back to their homes because they do not have money.

Women – Women are particularly vulnerable during the aftermath of a disaster like a typhoon Yolanda. They face several risks such as physical, psychological, and economic harm. In the aftermath of typhoon Yolanda, women suffered from depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to sexual violence that they experienced during the storm. Their mental health problems may lead them to commit suicide or abuse their children. This is because human rights are violated when women are deprived of their right to live in dignity with equality, security, and freedom from violence.

The Philippines has ratified International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention No 189 on Minimum Age for Admission and Employment of Children in Enterprises under 18 years old which prohibits employment of children under 18 years old in hazardous work or work likely to be hazardous for health or safety reasons. However, no law prohibits the employment of children below 18 years old for hazardous work outside school hours; this should be amended by Congress as it has been reported that some employers still hire minors even after signing agreements with school authorities wherein they agreed not to employ minors within school hours.

Rebuilding Efforts and Lessons Learned

Rebuilding efforts – The majority of the affected people are from poor communities. It is expected that these people will not have the financial capability to build their houses again because they need more time to recover from the loss caused by the typhoon. Building codes – Building codes should be strictly implemented and updated to mitigate the risk of casualties and damage to properties during the onslaught of typhoons and earthquakes.

Disaster preparedness – Disaster preparedness must be strengthened especially in areas that are prone to hazards. This is important to minimize the impact of natural disasters in the country. Stronger disaster management system – The disaster management system of the country must be strengthened by promoting legislation and policies on disaster reduction, increasing the budget for DRR, and improving the implementation of programs related to DRR.

Destruction to the agricultural sector

Agricultural sector destruction – The destruction of the agricultural sector results in a decrease in food production. This will lead to an increase in food prices. Moreover, it will result in a shortage of food in the market. Food security – The decrease in food production will lead to food insecurity. This is because there will be a decrease in the food supply in the market. The lack of food supply in the market will lead to an increase in the price of food.

Destruction of urban infrastructure

Urban Infrastructure destruction – Urban infrastructure destruction results in the collapse and damage of buildings, roads, and bridges. This can cause a lot of damage, chaos, and fatalities as a result. Urban Infrastructure collapse – Urban infrastructure collapse is when buildings, roads, and bridges are destroyed as a result of natural disasters or acts of terrorism or war. Urban Infrastructure damage – Urban infrastructure damage is when buildings, roads, and bridges are damaged as a result of natural disasters or acts of terrorism or war. Urban Infrastructure disruption – Urban infrastructure disruption is when resources needed by people are interrupted as a result of natural disasters or acts of terrorism or war.

Destruction of human life

Human life loss – Human life loss refers to deaths due to natural disasters or acts of terrorism or war. Human life loss death rate – Human life loss death rate refers to deaths due to natural disasters or acts of terrorism or war per 100 thousand inhabitants per year Human Life Loss – As humans, we have inherent strengths such as our ability adaptability and our ability to learn from our mistakes which can help us survive in times where we encounter severe weather conditions that may

Causes of Typhoon Yolanda

Changing climate – The changing climate results in more typhoons and hurricanes. These weather systems are expected to generate stronger winds and heavier rainfall in the future. Climate change-induced hazards – Tropical cyclones are known as climate change-induced hazards because they are induced by global warming and changes in the weather patterns. These storms are more powerful and destructive.

Causes of Tsunami

Tsunami – A tsunami is a series of waves in the sea. These waves are caused by an earthquake, underwater landslide, or volcanic explosion. Tsunamis can be classified as either local or distant depending on the distance from the epicenter of the earthquake or landslide. Tsunamis can cause great damage and loss of life within communities and countries, especially when it hits shallow water. Tsunami wave height – The height of tsunami waves varies depending on their source.

For instance, a local tsunami causes waves up to 5 meters in height while a distant tsunami causes waves up to 50 meters in height. Tsunami wave frequency – The number of times that a wave will repeat itself is known as its frequency. A distant tsunami has a frequency that ranges from once every few minutes to once every few months while a local tsunami has a frequency that ranges from once every few days to once every year

The occurrence of tsunamis has been observed since ancient times and they occur at different frequencies depending on their source location and magnitude. The most common tsunamis are created by earthquakes with heights ranging from 3 meters up to 90 meters depending on the size, location, orientation, and depth of the fault plane (earthquake) in which it occurs. As you know tsunamis do not always occur as an earthquake but may also be caused by landslides due to earthquakes or natural volcanic eruptions.

The destruction caused by typhoon Yolanda proves that the country needs to improve its disaster management system. This can be done by updating building codes, strengthening disaster preparedness, and implementing legislation and policies on disaster reduction. At the same time, we should also be prepared for other typhoons and hurricanes because they are expected to generate stronger winds and heavier rainfall in the future due to the changing climate.

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Looking Back: Typhoon Yolanda

Give2Asia reports back to the public on projects funded in response to disasters.

In 2013, Typhoon Yolanda (also know as Typhoon Haiyan) struck the Philippines and was the deadliest typhoon in the country’s history. Over six thousand people lost their lives and over 1 million people’s homes were damaged, displacing over 600,000 people. Here is how Give2Asia’s local partners engaged in the response.

Disaster Strikes the Philippines

On November 7th, 2013 Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines with gusts of up to 235 mph. While the Philippines is no stranger to the power of tropical storms, it was not prepared for the devastating effects of Typhoon Yolanda, which was one of the strongest storms ever recorded. The fact that the Philippines is comprised of over 7,000 islands leaves the country particularly vulnerable to strong winds and storm surges. In the Philippines, a vast number of inhabitants live in areas with poor infrastructure and housing, which made Typhoon Yolanda especially dangerous. In the wake of Yolanda’s destruction, thousands lost their lives, 4.1 million people were left displaced from their homes, and 6 million workers were left without means to support their livelihood.

Typhoon Yolanda caused severe damage to some of the Philippines biggest sources of income, destroying coconut farms all over the islands, leaving over a million coconut farmers without a means to support themselves as they’ve had to wait years for their farms to recover. The typhoon also greatly affected local fisheries, which is one of the Philippines most important sectors, employing 1.6 million people.

Many families lost everything during Typhoon Yolanda and were left struggling once the storm was over. The lack of options for transitional and permanent housing prolonged the displacement for many families ,  many of which are still trying to recover.

Actions Taken: Recovery Projects Funded Through Give2Asia

Give2Asia knows how important the mid- to long-term recovery phases can be following natural disasters like Typhoon Yolanda. Generous contributions from the Give2Asia donors funded multiple projects in response to Typhoon Yolanda. Two of these projects focused on the community of Maliwaliw, which was one of the hardest hit during the storm.

Project 1: Building Back Better in Maliwaliw: Family-Driven House Construction 2015 Grant

The hope in training builders on how to construct disaster-resilient houses is that it will improve the community’s resistance to future natural disasters in a sustainable and cost-efficient way. Housing is a crucial step in allowing families in Maliwaliw to focus on other essential matters like livelihood and the education of their children. So far with the help of our partner, Build Change, 31 of 49 houses have been built with the rest of the houses in various stages of construction. By having Build Change teach local community members carpentry and construction skills, the project offered these community members an opportunity to apply these skills by volunteering their labor hours.  The community’s volunteer hours helped the project reach more families than would have otherwise been possible, and also ensures that the community members can sustainably maintain what has been built in Maliwaliw.

Project 2: Building Lives and Livelihood of Typhoon Haiyan Affected Families in Maliwaliw, Salcedo, Eastern Samar

One of the livelihood projects that the Guiuan Development Foundation supported established sites for beekeeping. As the fishing grounds in Maliwaliw will take years to recover, these beekeeping sites will provide alternative sources of livelihood for families affected by the typhoon. Before the typhoon, no one in the community knew how to raise bees for honey production. Now, 10 local women have been trained on raising bees and a new business venture has been established in the community.

With the support of the Guiuan Development Foundation, the Maliwaliw community will continue to invest in alternative sources of livelihood. These community-based projects both bring the Maliwaliw community together and bring it closer to recovering from the effects of Typhoon Yolanda.

Final Disaster Overview

Typhoon Yolanda had a devastating effect on many communities in the Philippines. Give2Asia’s network raised funds and helped communities like Maliwaliw recover from Typhoon Yolanda and prepare for future natural disasters. These funds have helped build new disaster-resilient homes, trained contractors and builders, and supported livelihood programs. Give2Asia’s donors have helped build more resilient communities by investing in long-term recovery efforts.

We hope that ongoing investments in disaster preparedness will reduce the impacts of future disasters in vulnerable countries like the Philippines. There are many projects in need of funding which focus entirely on disaster preparedness. Please review them through our  Disaster Preparedness Catalog  and consider funding one of these initiatives to contribute to the future well-being of vulnerable regions in Asia.

• Disaster Preparedness Catalog
• USAID Fact Sheet on Typhoon Yolanda
• Disaster Emergency Committee – Philippines Typhoon Facts and Figures
• CNN Article, “Super Typhoon Haiyan, one of strongest storms ever, hits central Philippines”
• World Fishing & Aquaculture Article, “Philippines steps up assistance to small scale fishermen”

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• How has Typhoon Yolanda I...

How has Typhoon Yolanda Impacted Filipino Households?

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T yphoon Haiyan (Yolanda) struck Southeast Asia in early November 2013, with especially damaging consequences for large swathes of the Philippines. It was one of the deadliest typhoons on record, killing almost 6,000 people, though the final death toll is still being determined. Adding to the country’s woes, just a few weeks early in mid-October a 7.2 magnitude earthquake shook the island province of Central Visayas killing and injuring hundreds with another 300,000 people displaced.

Researchers associated with the Igarapé Institute and the Enstiti Travay Sosyal ak Syans Sosyal (Institute of Social Work and Social Science) were based in Central Visayas before the Typhoon descended in the Philippines. They had been deployed with the intention of implementing a peer-led trauma intervention for adults with children in the area impacted by the earthquake. Team rapidly redirected resources to administer a rapid household survey assessing post-disaster needs in mid-November 2013.

The survey team of Filipinos, Haitians, Americans and Canadians interviewed 4,366 households encompassing a total of 20,524 individuals (with a response rate of around 83%). Using a proportional to population size (PPS) sampling approach, the team was able to assemble generalizable findings on food security, access to water, medical concerns, psychological problems, attitudes toward service providers, women’s livelihoods, mental health and crime. Such data, produced in close to real-time, can provide a useful baseline for identifying priorities and measuring progress over time.

The critical place of remittance support in shaping peoples wellbeing was also confirmed. Access to remittances from family members abroad served as a protective factor with respect to food security. Those receiving remittances or cash transfers after the typhoon were 4.72 times more likely to be food secure than other households. It is worth noting that the frequency of remittance flows from Filipinos working overseas grew continuously in 2013 – up to USD2 billion a month, a 6.6% increase on previous years.

The short- and medium-term impacts of the Typhoon on women and health stand out. Nearly half of all respondents (46.3%) surpassed the criteria for registering post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Women were more likely than men to have been categorized as suffering from PTSD. And while gender-based violence outside the household was less frequently reported than in other post-disaster environments, physical and emotional abuse by intimate partners was a concern with 11.3% of all women revealing they had been physically abused since the typhoon.

Although sexual assault and harassment appear to be lower than reported in other post-disaster environments, there were indications of intimate partner violence. The greatest risk factors for intimate partner violence included being forced to relocate living places multiple times, living in a crowded environment, being from a rural area, and experiencing hunger. Staying with relatives, engaging in daily prayer, and having a male partner who was attempting to work were associated with lower rates of such victimization. An overlooked need during and after disasters relates to female reproductive and hygiene care. Few women stated that they had access to feminine hygiene supplies and most women who were sexually active stated that they did not have access to birth control.

The survey highlights a host of risks and vulnerabilities confronting Filipinos in disaster-affected areas. It also underlines protective factors and impressive coping strategies, not least in relation to remittances from abroad. The assessment emphasizes the differential impacts of the disaster between urban and rural regions, but also the ways in which effects are segmented across demographic groups. Such data can be used to help shape baselines and set short-term priorities, but also to measure and evaluate whether needs are being met in the medium- to long-term. A major casualty in any natural disaster is rapid and reliable data on the scope and scale of impacts on populations. This rapid household survey highlights the possibility of gathering solid quantitative data within weeks of a traumatic emergency.

Athena Kolbe is a clinical social worker and a doctoral candidate in Social Work and Political Science at the University of Michigan. Kolbe currently serves as the Director of Social Work Education at the Enstiti Travay Sosyal ak Syans Sosyal in Petion-ville, Haiti.

Dr. Robert Muggah is the Research Director of the Igarapé Institute, Research Director of the SecDev Foundation, and teaches at the Instituto de Relações Internacionais, in Rio de Janeiro. He is also a fellow at the University of Oxford and the Graduate Institute in Switzerland.

This note is based on a new study: Athena Kolbe, Marie Puccio, Marvin Bautista, Erika Childs, Leah James, Robert Muggah, Juan Masipag, and Almathe Jean (2013) Assessing Needs After the Super Typhoon: Results From a Random Household Survey in Samar, Leyte, Cebu, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, and Palawan, Igarape Institute Working Paper. See www.igarape.org.br .

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Typhoon Yolanda: A Tale of a Boy Who Survived

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Cause & effect essays Aka reason and result

The Cause and effect essay is another common essay type, either as an essay type on its own, or as part of a larger essay which includes one or more paragraphs examining causes and effects. This page gives information on what a cause and effect essay is , how to structure this type of essay, and how to use cause and effect structure words (transition signals) for this type of essay. There is also an example cause and effect essay on the topic of women at work, as well as some exercises to help you practice this area.

What are cause & effect essays?

For another look at the same content, check out YouTube » or Youku » , or this infographic » .

A cause and effect essay looks at the reasons (or causes) for something, then discusses the results (or effects). For this reason, cause and effect essays are sometimes referred to as reason and result essays. They are one of the most common forms of organisation in academic writing. Sometimes the whole essay will be cause and effect, though sometimes this may be only part of the whole essay. It is also possible, especially for short exam essays, that only the causes or the effects, not both, are discussed. See the examples below.

• Discuss the causes and effects of global warming ['cause and effect' essay]
• Explain the high death rate in Chernobyl ['causes' only essay]
• Discuss the WTO and its effects on the Chinese economy ['effects' only essay]

There are two main ways to structure a cause and effect essay. These are similar to the ways to structure problem-solution essays , namely using a block or a chain structure. For the block structure, all of the causes are listed first, and all of the effects are listed afterwards. For the chain structure, each cause is followed immediately by the effect. Usually that effect will then be the cause of the next effect, which is why this structure is called 'chain'. Both types of structure have their merits. The former is generally clearer, especially for shorter essays, while the latter ensures that any effects you present relate directly to the causes you have given.

The two types of structure, block and chain , are shown in the diagram below.

Cause and Effect Structure Words

Cause and effect structure words are transition signals which show the cause and effect relationships. It is important to be clear which is the cause (or reason) and which is the effect (or result), and to use the correct transition word or phrase. Remember that a cause happens first , and the effect happens later .

Below are some common cause and effect structure words. X is used to indicate a cause, while Y is used to indicate the effect.

• The first cause of (Y) is (X)
• The next reason is (X)
• Because of (X), (Y)
• As a result of (X), (Y)
• As a consequence of (X), (Y)
• because/since/as (X)
• to result from (X)
• (X) results in (Y)
• to be the result of (X)
• (Y) is due to (X)
• Owing to (X), (Y)
• (Y) is because of (X)
• (Y) is the effect of (X)
• (Y) is the consequence of (X)
• Worsening pollution levels in cities are due to the increased use of cars.
• Because of the increased use of cars, pollution levels in cities are worsening.
• As a result of the increased use of cars, pollution levels in cities are worsening.
• The effect of the increased use of cars is a worsening of pollution levels in cities.
• The first effect of (X) is (Y)
• Another result of (X) is (Y)
• As a result, (Y)
• As a consequence, (Y)
• Consequently (Y)
• Therefore, (Y)
• (X) causes (Y)
• (X) has an effect on (Y)
• (X) affects (Y)
• (X) is one of the causes of (Y)
• (X) is the reason for (Y)
• Cars are used increasingly for urban transport. As a consequence , pollution levels in cities are worsening.
• Increased use of cars for urban transport adversely affects pollution levels in cities.
• Increased use of cars for urban transport is one of the causes of worsening pollution levels in cities.

Example essay

Below is a cause and effect essay. This essay uses the block structure . Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes to the right) to highlight the different structural aspects in this essay, i.e. Causes, Effects, and structure words. This will highlight not simply the paragraphs, but also the thesis statement and summary , as these repeat the causes and effects contained in the main body.

Title: More and more women are now going out to work and some women are now the major salary earner in the family. What are the causes of this, and what effect is this having on families and society?

In the past, most women stayed at home to take care of domestic chores such as cooking or cleaning. Women's liberation and feminism have meant that this situation has been transformed and in contemporary society women are playing an almost equal role to men in terms of work. This has had significant consequences , both in terms of the family , for example by improving quality of life and increasing children's sense of independence , and also for society itself with greater gender equality . The main reasons behind the increase of women in the workplace are women's liberation and feminism. The women's liberation movement originated in the 1960s and was popularised by authors such as Simone de Beauvoir. As a consequence of this, new legislation emerged, granting women equal rights to men in many fields, in particular employment. Because of feminist ideas, men have taken up roles which were previously seen as being for women only, most importantly those related to child rearing. As a result of this, women have more time to pursue their own careers and interests. These have led to some significant effects, both to family life and to society as a whole. Although the earning capacity of a woman in her lifetime is generally much less than that of a man, she can nevertheless make a significant contribution to the family income. The most important consequence of this is an improved quality of life. By helping to maintain a steady income for the family, the pressure on the husband is considerably reduced, hence improving both the husband's and the wife's emotional wellbeing. Additionally, the purchasing power of the family will also be raised. This means that the family can afford more luxuries such as foreign travel and a family car. A further effect on the family is the promotion of independence in the children. Some might argue that having both parents working might be damaging to the children because of a lack of parental attention. However, such children have to learn to look after themselves at an earlier age, and their parents often rely on them to help with the housework. This therefore teaches them important life skills. As regards society, the most significant impact of women going to work is greater gender equality. There are an increasing number of women who are becoming politicians, lawyers, and even CEOs and company managers. This in turn has led to greater equality for women in all areas of life, not just employment. For example, women today have much stronger legal rights to protect themselves against domestic violence and sexual discrimination in the workplace. In conclusion, the increasing number of women at work has brought about some important changes to family life, including improved quality of life and increased independence for children, as well as affecting society itself. It is clear that the sexes are still a long way from being equal in all areas of life, however, and perhaps the challenge for the present century is to ensure that this takes place.

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Below is a checklist for cause and effect essays. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.

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• Compare/contrast

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Author: Sheldon Smith    ‖    Last modified: 16 January 2022.

Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .

Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.

Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).

Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.

Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).

Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.

Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.

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The Impact of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) to the Philippines and its Peoples

Friday 29 November 2013 , by SOLIS Richard

• Haiyan/Yolanda

It has been three weeks today since the Super Typhoon had hit the central part of the country and yet the full devastation and its impact cannot yet fully grasped and understood by those who survived and witnessed its fury.

• The General Picture and (...)
• Storms of Criticism

Introduction

The strongest typhoon ever to hit the land, Yolanda is unnaturally powerful causing unimaginable damage and destruction to lands, properties and lives. It definitely portrayed the ugliest reality of a warmed world we live in today. The global warming has induced sea level rise which contributed to the 20 feet storm surge that definitely caught the victims off guard.

Gone are the days when we lived in a world without warming. The climate change it has caused makes tropical storms more damaging not only through increased winds speed and heavier rainfall but most notably rising sea levels which in turn means greater damage and severe loss of lives and properties.

Poor and developing countries like the Philippines with regular tropical storms once or twice a month will be greatly affected and devastated by the destructive effects of our warmed world. The Philippines has an average of 21 typhoons every year but Super Typhoon Yolanda was its 24 th and it has been forecasted that two more typhoons will hit the country before the year ends.

When the Super Typhoon Yolanda had hit the central part of the Philippines last November 8, 2013, it has revealed the ugliest characteristics of unprepared government to manage and reduce/mitigate destructions caused by such a warmed world monster. It has also revealed the total failure of the government and its agencies to fully understand the implication of such disasters to the people and the environment. Hence, on the eve of the super typhoon, the President had announced to the nation that a signal number 4 [5 in international categories  [ 1 ] .] typhoon would be the strength of the coming disaster, but what would it be like when it hits the ground, he could not mention. How the people on the direct path of the monster typhoon would prepare could not be figured out.

Indeed, with the storm surge and the sadden rise of the sea level up to more than 20 feet where would the people go and hide? But the worst thing that the typhoon has exposed is that amidst monstrous disaster, the nation under the leadership of President Benigno “Nonoy” Aquino could not agree to almost everything and therefore weeks after the disastrous typhoon the government response could be best described as criminally slow and ineffective. Many of those who have survived the typhoon Yolanda could barely survive the hunger, anguish and desperation.

  The General Picture and Some Hard Facts

The total number of people affected by the Typhoon Yolanda would be more than 9 million in the islands of Samar, Leyte, Northern Cebu, Negros, Panay and Busuanga. Seventy percent (70%) of the affected are in Samar and Leyte. Less than 10% of those affected and lost their houses are found in the evacuation camps which less than 2,000 in numbers. This means that around 90% are not staying in the evacuation camps. Many have gone to other islands and different parts of the country to forget about the devastation and destruction in order to stay alive. Like in the case of the city of Tacloban with 230,000 populations, more than 100,000 people have left the city to escape the aftermath of Yolanda.

The number of dead people has reached almost seven thousand and still increasing daily. It might reach more than ten thousand contradicting the limited number of deaths that the President would want to portray. At the eve of the super typhoon when the President was announcing the signal number 4 [5] strength of the typhoon he was also calling for a zero casualties and hence the extra preparation efforts. But for the first few days after the Yolanda struck its ferocious violence creating unimaginable destruction to both population and the land, a police general declared that a number of deaths might reach more than ten thousand. He was immediately relieved from his post because he dared to contradict the President’s figure.

The number of missing persons, as of last count, has reached more than two thousand and the number of wounded persons has reached more than twenty thousand.

Almost 9 million houses are totally and partially destroyed mainly in the Samar and Leyte provinces but also in the northern part of the province of Cebu, the island of Daang Bantayan (95% destroyed), islands of Negros and Panay.

The Typhoon Yolanda has caused heavy damage in agriculture especially to rice (it was harvest season when the disaster occurred), corn and coconut trees. It has been estimated that the value of the destruction on agriculture would reach almost 2 billion pesos and can reach to 24.5 billion more including the total damages and destruction in the agricultural infrastructures e.g. irrigation, roads....

Since the Super Typhoon hit the islands of the central part of the country, the coastal areas with the mangroves were not spared. Ninety to ninety five percent of the coastal resources in the islands were totally destroyed. More than fifty thousand of motorised boats (in Panay island alone) used by the fisher folks for their livelihoods were totally damaged.

The worst impact of the disaster is more on the employment aspect which is estimated to effect 5.1 million workers mainly, from agriculture who will become jobless. The 620,000 available jobs for this year would easily be wiped out after Super Typhoon Yolanda. The economic slowdown in the regions affected namely region 6, 7 and 8, is believed to be around 25% and since this contribution to the national economy is estimated to be 8% in effect affects 1% of the gross domestic product in the country. The economists are predicting that 5.5% gross domestic product will be achieved in the last quarter of this year. This means the average growth in the gross domestic product of the country will be 7% this year.

This jobless growth in the economy this year will be mainly coming from the increased remittance of the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who will work harder in order to send more money especially for their affected families and relatives in the affected regions of the country. The billions of money coming from both domestic and international donors for the Yolanda victims and the reconstruction of the damaged infrastructures will also contribute to the so-called growth of the country’s economy.

  Storms of Criticism

As events began to unfold, people would want to wake up and do away with the worst nightmare they have experienced. Only to experience painful realities that the deaths and destructions in their midst are real and the more they have tried to escape from such devastation, the more they become immobilised and the feeling of helplessness would be generally observed in the hardest hit areas. Nobody could help anybody including the local government officials because they are victims themselves and their families were not spared from deaths and destructions. For the first few days or even weeks, the picture would be in frozen animation and where people were moving like literally zombies because they were in a state of shock and did not know where to start and where to go. Such situation has continued for two weeks (and as of this writing-several communities have not been reached by food and medical aids) where people have been weakened emotionally and physically for lack of foods and psychological first aids. For those who survived the destruction of the super typhoon, a challenge of how to be alive is a real struggle after more than two weeks.

The national government and its agencies were immobilised as well because they have a framework of operating only through the local government units. They (national government) seem not to know how to work in an emergency situation where local government officials are half capable or still emotionally affected and traumatized. This kind of dynamics has caused the delay or inaction of these officials to immediately respond to emergency situation where quick response would mean saving more lives.

Meanwhile, those who survived after weeks of no regular food do not have strength left to bury their dead much more to look for food to survive another day.

The worst that the survivors have experienced is having knowledge that there is literally the flooding of aids from both the international and domestic donors and solidarities but these have not reached them weeks after the disaster. With 95% of the electricity damaged, the only source of communication of survivors to the world is the media (both international and domestic). The main reason given for it not to reach the intended beneficiaries is the absence of system – where instead of having a system to serve its purpose of ensuring that the aids can immediately reach the survivors, it is the other way around, the survivors have to wait for the government system to be installed before they can partake with the urgently needed aid package (food and medicine).

The survivors have to literally beg for food in order to stay alive for another day. Meanwhile, stocks upon stocks of food can be seen in government custody and heavily guarded by the Philippine security forces (Philippine Army and Philippine National Police).

At the early days after the disaster, people have to literally loot for goods, mostly food items, to give to their families who have survived.

Another reason for the delayed response of the government is that, there is no readymade list of populations in the village level. What they (government officials) have is the voter’s lists which means it includes only the number of people from 18 years old and above. Besides this kind of reference (voter’s list) is very susceptible to “politicking” because only those who voted for the political officials in the previous elections can be given aid packages. The process/system can also serve as political investments for the coming elections for these traditional politicians whose opportunistic attitude can be seen in its ugliest form even in this worst kind of disaster.

Richard S. Solis , November 29, 2013

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Why was Typhoon Yolanda so deadly?

When Typhoon Yolanda (International Name: Haiyan) struck in 2013 it was the disaster-prone Philippines' worst storm on record, with 7,350 people dead or missing.

Several factors caused the staggering death toll:

Strongest storm

With gusts exceeding 305 kilometers (190 miles) per hour at first landfall, Yolanda was the strongest ever to hit land at the time. Typhoons more commonly reach peak velocity while still traveling over oceans.

The powerful front drove a giant wall of seawater called a storm surge, estimated to be 7.5 meters (24.6 feet) high, into coastal towns like Tacloban, a city of 240,000 people.

Overall, Yolanda tore across a group of islands with a combined area the size of Portugal.

Low-lying islands

The Philippines is the first major landmass on the Pacific Ocean's typhoon belt. A wall of mountains on the coast of the main island of Luzon dampens some of the blows, but the smaller, flatter islands -- such as those that lay in Yolanda's path -- are more exposed.

Much of Tacloban sits less than five meters above sea level. The town and others nearby were defenseless against the storm surge that funneled through a shallow bay sandwiched between Leyte and Samar islands.

Inadequate warnings

Even though the hardest-hit areas received early warnings, the weather service and other officials later admitted that the victims were unfamiliar with the term "storm surge".

The last deadly storm surge in Tacloban had hit in 1887, more than a century before Yolanda. In a country with scores of regional languages, the government also did not have local terms to be able to communicate the phenomenon to everyone.

After the disaster, the government agency worked with linguists to craft simpler meteorological terms to ensure the danger posed by typhoons, floods, landslides and other adverse events would be fully understood by all.

Extreme poverty

In a nation where one in five people earn less than two dollars a day, the people in Yolanda's path stood out for their deep poverty. Many of the victims built their homes on the islands' narrow coastal plains and lived off subsistence fishing and farming.

Yolanda destroyed or damaged 1.14 million houses, many of them made of cheap, flimsy materials that stood no chance against nature's wrath.

Failure to evacuate

The national government, through a geohazard mapping program begun in 2006, had flagged most of the areas that were prone to the impacts of natural disasters.

However, local governments failed to evacuate many of the vulnerable population away from the danger zones, partly because they did not fully appreciate the threat and partly because they had not built enough shelters.

In the town of Hernani on Samar island, where Yolanda made the first of many landfalls, several families were wiped out by a storm surge when they left their flimsy shacks to ride out the storm at a low-lying school built along the coast, neighbors told AFP. — Agence France-Presse

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3.8: The Language of Cause and Effect

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Below are some of the most common language structures used in cause/effect writing. As you review them, pay attention to the part of speech (noun, verb, adjective) and the preposition used in each structure.

Read the following sentences to highlight the cause signal words. Underline the causes .

1. The difference between income and housing costs has created a crisis of unaffordable housing options.

2. Real estate developers purchase properties and build luxury apartments throughout the city, thereby making it difficult for residents of average income to find affordable housing.

3. Economists attribute the 2008 economic recession to the unregulated housing market.

4. Homelessness results in health conditions that make people vulnerable to contagious diseases like COVID19.

5. Secure housing can lead to better health and emotional resilience.

Fill in the blanks with appropriate cause signal words from the box. Pay attention to the grammar and punctuation needed to make the sentence correct.

1. Genetic variants may ____________ a pattern of obesity in a family.

2. Weight gain can be ____________ medications such as antidepressants.

3. Obesity ____________ challenges to mental health and self-esteem.

4. Regular visits to green spaces such as parks, forests, and rural areas have ____________ on people’s moods and sense of well-being.

5. ____________ a dangerous or polluted community environment, residents may find it difficult to engage in physical activity outside.

Edit these sentences looking carefully at the use of the cause signal words:

1. Since some places are in a drought, as a result there is extreme fire danger in those forests.

2. Because of some places are in drought, many crops require extra irrigation.

3. Global warming which creates melting ice in the arctic and warmer water in the oceans.

4. Tornadoes are increasing in number and size the destruction in property is costly for states and residents.

5. Warmer water in the oceans results from stronger rain during hurricanes.

Highlight the effect signal words. Underline the effects .

1. Every year in the U.S. there are about a thousand tornadoes, thereby causing millions of dollars of damage and the death of over 70 people.

2. Tornadoes are extremely destructive and result in damaged houses, cars and businesses.

3. Strong winds in a tornado are responsible for flipping over cars or lifting them to another area.

4. Scientists have improved forecasting and warning systems for tornadoes; as a result, the number of deaths has decreased.

5. The National Weather Service monitors storms with a Doppler radar; consequently, tornado warnings can be issued in a timely manner.

Fill in the blanks with appropriate signal words to show the cause-effect relationship. Pay attention to the grammar and punctuation needed to make the sentence correct.

1. Many people do not have a basic understanding of how the internet works, ________ they do not know that their personal online privacy is often compromised.

2. A lot of time spent using electronic devices ____________ the students’ ability to socialize in a face to face environment.

3. Reading aloud to children has a positive ___________ their ability to learn to read.

4. The overall health of a nation is directly linked to the health of the population. __________, governments need to take measures to ensure the people are healthy.

5. Good nutrition and mental health go hand in hand. For example, a deficiency in vitamin B9 (found in leafy greens, legumes, and grains) can ________________ irritability, apathy, depression and other issues.

6. Researchers have found that the area of the brain associated with motor skills was greatly _____________ in children who had regular practice of a musical instrument.

The following adjectives are useful when describing the cause or effect more specifically. Choose five of the following and write a sentence that identifies a specific kind of cause or effect. Think of situations when these specific words would be appropriate.

Example: A common cause of obesity is a lack of physical activity.

1. __________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________________

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Philippines - typhoon haiyan/yolanda: environmental assessment. final report and recommendations, attachments.

Typhoon Haiyan (known locally as Yolanda) made first landfall in the early morning of 8 November and left a wide path of destruction and debris in its wake. It struck the Visayas causing immense damage and population displacement and killing nearly 6,000 people. At least 1,500 remain unaccounted for. As of 23 November, the Government estimates indicated that 13.26 million people were affected by Typhoon Haiyan, including 4.29 million who were displaced. 1.1 million houses were damaged. Hundreds of thousands are still displaced. The Typhoon impacted 9 regions, 44 provinces and nearly 600 municipalities, of which 171 municipalities are located within 50 km on each side of the path of the typhoon, see map below. An L3 emergency was declared by the IASC Principals and OCHA mobilised appropriate capacities.

Environmental concerns affecting lives and livelihoods were needed to be urgently integrated into humanitarian action. For this purpose, environment expert Åsa Granath was employed, seconded by MSB (Swedish Civil Contingency Agency) and financed by SIDA (the Swedish government) as an Environmental Field Advisor (EFA), from mid-January to mid-June 2014, to support the humanitarian response. It is the first time an environmental professional is employed by UN OCHA for such a long period, in a natural disaster. The following issues could be covered according to the Terms of Reference (ToR), Appendix 1:

• Coordination of environment as a cross-cutting issue
• Technical advice on environmental issues
• Communication and reporting
• Resource mobilization
• Training and capacity building

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10.8 Cause and Effect

Learning objectives.

• Determine the purpose and structure of cause and effect in writing.
• Understand how to write a cause-and-effect essay.

The Purpose of Cause and Effect in Writing

It is often considered human nature to ask, “why?” and “how?” We want to know how our child got sick so we can better prevent it from happening in the future, or why our colleague a pay raise because we want one as well. We want to know how much money we will save over the long term if we buy a hybrid car. These examples identify only a few of the relationships we think about in our lives, but each shows the importance of understanding cause and effect.

A cause is something that produces an event or condition; an effect is what results from an event or condition. The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena relate in terms of origins and results. Sometimes the connection between cause and effect is clear, but often determining the exact relationship between the two is very difficult. For example, the following effects of a cold may be easily identifiable: a sore throat, runny nose, and a cough. But determining the cause of the sickness can be far more difficult. A number of causes are possible, and to complicate matters, these possible causes could have combined to cause the sickness. That is, more than one cause may be responsible for any given effect. Therefore, cause-and-effect discussions are often complicated and frequently lead to debates and arguments.

Use the complex nature of cause and effect to your advantage. Often it is not necessary, or even possible, to find the exact cause of an event or to name the exact effect. So, when formulating a thesis, you can claim one of a number of causes or effects to be the primary, or main, cause or effect. As soon as you claim that one cause or one effect is more crucial than the others, you have developed a thesis.

Consider the causes and effects in the following thesis statements. List a cause and effect for each one on your own sheet of paper.

• The growing childhood obesity epidemic is a result of technology.
• Much of the wildlife is dying because of the oil spill.
• The town continued programs that it could no longer afford, so it went bankrupt.
• More young people became politically active as use of the Internet spread throughout society.
• While many experts believed the rise in violence was due to the poor economy, it was really due to the summer-long heat wave.

Write three cause-and-effect thesis statements of your own for each of the following five broad topics.

• Health and nutrition

The Structure of a Cause-and-Effect Essay

The cause-and-effect essay opens with a general introduction to the topic, which then leads to a thesis that states the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.

The cause-and-effect essay can be organized in one of the following two primary ways:

• Start with the cause and then talk about the effects.
• Start with the effect and then talk about the causes.

For example, if your essay were on childhood obesity, you could start by talking about the effect of childhood obesity and then discuss the cause or you could start the same essay by talking about the cause of childhood obesity and then move to the effect.

Regardless of which structure you choose, be sure to explain each element of the essay fully and completely. Explaining complex relationships requires the full use of evidence, such as scientific studies, expert testimony, statistics, and anecdotes.

Because cause-and-effect essays determine how phenomena are linked, they make frequent use of certain words and phrases that denote such linkage. See Table 10.4 “Phrases of Causation” for examples of such terms.

Table 10.4 Phrases of Causation

The conclusion should wrap up the discussion and reinforce the thesis, leaving the reader with a clear understanding of the relationship that was analyzed.

Be careful of resorting to empty speculation. In writing, speculation amounts to unsubstantiated guessing. Writers are particularly prone to such trappings in cause-and-effect arguments due to the complex nature of finding links between phenomena. Be sure to have clear evidence to support the claims that you make.

Look at some of the cause-and-effect relationships from Note 10.83 “Exercise 2” . Outline the links you listed. Outline one using a cause-then-effect structure. Outline the other using the effect-then-cause structure.

Writing a Cause-and-Effect Essay

Choose an event or condition that you think has an interesting cause-and-effect relationship. Introduce your topic in an engaging way. End your introduction with a thesis that states the main cause, the main effect, or both.

Organize your essay by starting with either the cause-then-effect structure or the effect-then-cause structure. Within each section, you should clearly explain and support the causes and effects using a full range of evidence. If you are writing about multiple causes or multiple effects, you may choose to sequence either in terms of order of importance. In other words, order the causes from least to most important (or vice versa), or order the effects from least important to most important (or vice versa).

Use the phrases of causation when trying to forge connections between various events or conditions. This will help organize your ideas and orient the reader. End your essay with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and reinforces your thesis. See Chapter 15 “Readings: Examples of Essays” to read a sample cause-and-effect essay.

Choose one of the ideas you outlined in Note 10.85 “Exercise 3” and write a full cause-and-effect essay. Be sure to include an engaging introduction, a clear thesis, strong evidence and examples, and a thoughtful conclusion.

Key Takeaways

• The purpose of the cause-and-effect essay is to determine how various phenomena are related.
• The thesis states what the writer sees as the main cause, main effect, or various causes and effects of a condition or event.

The cause-and-effect essay can be organized in one of these two primary ways:

• Start with the cause and then talk about the effect.
• Start with the effect and then talk about the cause.
• Strong evidence is particularly important in the cause-and-effect essay due to the complexity of determining connections between phenomena.
• Phrases of causation are helpful in signaling links between various elements in the essay.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

• GREAT ENERGY CHALLENGE

One Year After Typhoon Yolanda, a Philippines City Rebuilds With Sustainable Transport in Mind

This November 8 will mark the one-year anniversary of Typhoon Yolanda, the devastating storm that claimed at least 6,300 lives and displaced millions more. In Tacloban, one of the hardest-hit areas southeast of Manila, the destruction is still evident: A cement house lies partially submerged in the ocean. Large ships are grounded right next to the main street. Debris fills abandoned shops that have not yet reopened. Permanent housing and general reconstruction are a work in progress, with a long way to go.

The Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities (iCSC) , a Great Energy Challenge grantee , has worked for years to bring sustainable transportation via electric “jeepneys” to the Philippines. The goal has new relevance in the wake of Yolanda, also called Haiyan: Aside from cutting down on pollution and fuel costs, it could be an emergency lifeline that can operate without fuel shipments or even a functioning grid.

What’s a Jeepney?

Jeepneys stand out among the steady stream of cars and motorbikes on roads in cities like Manila. The World War II-style jeeps are retrofitted to accommodate 14 or so paying passengers, painted with artwork, and stamped with a unique name, sometimes one with a religious theme.

Public transport by jeepney has been a staple of Filipino culture since Douglas MacArthur led an effort to expel the Japanese from the Philippines in 1944. Now a new movement aims to make jeepneys cleaner by converting them to run on electricity instead of conventional fuel.

Since 2009, iCSC has retrofitted more than a dozen jeepneys in Manila into “eJeepneys” that run on a 3-mile (5-kilometer) loop around the city’s business district, Makati City. At the end of an eight-hour shift, drivers bring the eJeepneys back to a central location to be fully charged for the following morning. Unlike traditional jeepneys, eJeepneys emit no pollutants and need no fossil fuel.

iCSC got started in the Philippines in the late ‘90s through successful efforts to prevent construction of a coal-fired power plant. Building on that victory, the group set out to implement alternative energy solutions. It took two years of preparation before they finally placed their first eJeepney on the road.

The savings on fuel and engine maintenance make eJeepneys financially attractive to potential investors. Noel Dimaano currently runs eJeepney operations in Makati City, explained that iCSC was “able to prove that the electric jeepney is a commercially viable activity.”

Driving eJeepneys Forward

Challenges have tested, and will continue to test, iCSC’s mettle. In the beginning, they needed to retrofit jeepneys damaged from the storm surge, which led to longer-than-expected delays, and they suffered setbacks when trying to get city permits. On the positive side, the eJeepneys’ batteries have lasted longer than the one-year period iCSC anticipated, and the organization has now generated enough payback to grow. Twelve more jeeps are anticipated for retrofit in Makati City.

The Philippines gets more than half of its energy from renewable sources such as geothermal and hydropower, but its grid still relies on fossil fuels for more than a third of the electricity. iCSC’s next step is to disconnect the eJeepneys from the grid and create solar-powered charging stations for them, and it now hopes to make Tacloban the eJeepney capital of the Philippines, according to program coordinator Reina Garcia. The eJeepney center will be 90 percent independent from the grid, when construction is completed this month, insulating it from outages as well as from a dependence on gas supplies.

Plans to bring ejeepneys to Tacloban have been well received by local authorities. As communities in Tacloban rebuild, iCSC has already scheduled eJeepney routes along the resettlement areas. This long-term solution is also contributing to shorter-term restoration by providing transport for the displaced population.

Beyond sustainable transportation, the goal is to make Tacloban the place to learn about solar and clean energy technologies. Tacloban is already a center for education as students travel there from other islands in the region. Capitalizing on this strategic location, iCSC plans to launch a solar scholars program to train government and NGO workers to build capacity and implement clean energy solutions in Tacloban and elsewhere in the region.

Related Topics

• SUSTAINABILITY
• TRANSPORTATION
• ELECTRIC CARS
• ENERGY POVERTY

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