Geographically, the Philippine climate is dominated by heavy typhoons and monsoon winds. A monsoon climate is one that is dominated by seasonal winds that blow for half of the year in one direction and then reverse themselves. Northeast monsoon winds usually guarantee a warmer climate called amihan, which blows from November to April while the southwest monsoon locally known as habagat, blows in from May to October. This gives the country gusty winds that cause rains to most places. However, both of these winds carry rains and frequently disturb the stability of the country’s climate.
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It can be rainy in the one part while sunny and mild in the other. In the period starting December up to the month of May, there is no monsoon anymore. The wind, particularly the “trade wind”, approaches from the northeast and brings hardly any rainfall. In Southeast Asia, “monsoon” refers to the wet season. It is a long period or season of rains. The monsoon supplies the water that is critical for survival throughout the dry season. Because this is when the majority of the rain falls, agriculture is dependent on the monsoons.
It is also the key to success of highland forests, as well as human populations, as everyone must have drinking water. Rainfall is the dominant climatic variable in Southeast Asia since tropical temperatures in low-lying equatorial regions are fairly similar throughout the year. Unless irrigation water from underground springs or rivers is available, the rice crop —which sustains the region’s population as a staple food— is normally limited in the rainy season (Benson, 1997). Another distinguishing feature of the climate of the Philippines is the occurrence of strong typhoons.
The Philippines is tortured by typhoons every year. In fact, the Philippines has the most number of typhoons in a year in the whole world. In the whole Western Pacific, typhoons occur from the month June to November. Typhoons have a great influence on the climate and weather conditions of the Philippines. A great portion of the rainfall, humidity and cloudiness are due to the impact of typhoons. They normally originate in the region of the Marianas and Caroline Islands of the Pacific Ocean, which have the same latitudinal position as Mindanao.
Their movements follow a north-westerly direction, sparing Mindanao from being directly hit by majority of the typhoons that cross the country. This makes the southern Philippines very appropriate for agriculture and industrial development. The geology, topography, climate and geographical location of the Philippines make it one of the most catastrophic countries in the world. The climate of the country is influenced by the numerous mountains, valleys, and the surrounding seas. It is bounded by the South China Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east.
It is often visited by an average of 20 typhoons annually, with mean precipitation of approximately of 2,100 millimeters increased by the southwest and northeast monsoons. The terrains are mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands stretching to 34,600 kilometers. Livelihood and job opportunities in the country sides are heavily affected by economic and political situations giving rise to unsettled insurgencies involving different renegade groups for almost a half century.
For refuge and safety, rural affected dwellers travel to capitals and other urban communities which congest the Metropolis overtime. Expensive property and immediate necessity for shelters have placed them instead in dangerous areas such as river banks, underneath the bridge, garbage dumpsites, and the like. As communities occupy river deltasand river valley floors bounded by steep mountain slopes, floods, flash floods and landslides in major rivers are highly inevitable (Benson, 1997).
