Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) 2013

This paper looks at the role social capital has played in the survival of an understudied and vulnerable group in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic - the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Typhoon Yolanda).

On 8 November 2013, super Typhoon Haiyan left a trail of destruction in the Philippines. The 10-year anniversary of this event provides an opportunity to reflect on research related to post-disaster recovery.

Humanitarian and development organization Oxfam Pilipinas urges local governments to shift from reactive spending to a proactive approach by utilizing local calamity funds effectively.

On 8 November 2013 Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the Philippines. Ten years on, survivors are still rebuilding their lives, but wide-ranging resilience measures mean that previously at-risk communities are now better protected.

Since the Yolanda cyclone, the Philippines have invested in early warning systems, mass text messaging technology and public apps to identify potential dangerous areas, disaster and weather officials told AFP.

Typhoon Haiyan's devastation created the conditions for human trafficking in Tacloban, where online exploitation is a new threat.

The Philippines, located along the boundary of major tectonic plates and at the centre of a typhoon belt, are frequently affected by typhoons, landslides, floods, earthquakes, droughts, and volcanic eruptions.

The successful evacuation of a tiny island community in the path of a devastating storm illustrates the important of preparedness in averting disaster.