Seismic Hazard analysis in the Philippines using earthquake occurrence data:

  The seismic hazard in the Philippines is evaluated from historical earthquake data using a new computer program called the Seismic Hazard Mapping Program (H-MaP). The seismic hazard is given in terms of the expected peak ground acceleration and the expected acceleration response spectrum. Regions of high seismic hazard are identified. These include Central Luzon which suffered heavy damage during the July 16, 1990 earthquake. The design levels of the seismic force of the Philippines are compared with those of the Japan and are found to be considerably lower. Long period structures are found to be more vulnerable to damage. The collection of strong ground motion records from Philippine earthquakes is necessary for more realistic design level for the Philippines. From the seismic hazard maps, a seismic zoning map based on the expected maximum accelerations is proposed. 

This figure shows a tectonic model of the northern Philippine island arc, based on seismicity, earthquake focal mechanisms, GPS measurements, and satellite imagery. The island arc lithosphere is modeled as a series of elastic blocks, which accommodate large-scale tectonic motions between the Philippine Sea Plate (PHSP) and the Sundaland Block of Eurasia (SUND). The major plate motion is accommodated by deformation along a series of arc-bounding and intra-arc faults that accumulate elastic strain between major earthquakes






  The 7.2 magnitude earthquake on 15 October 2013 was the strongest to hit the Philippines' Bohol island province in nearly 25 years, and occurred on a previously unknown fault line. Municipalities in the northwest of Bohol were hardest hit. The total number of affected people has been adjusted to 1.3 million from an initial estimate of 3.2 million as 2 million people from Cebu were first included, but later assessments identified that the island was not affected by the earthquake. According to government assessments and figures from early January, the earthquake damaged in total 79,217 houses out of which 13,402 were destroyed. The Bohol Earthquake Action Plan (BEAP) was issued on 25 Oct, requesting $46.8 million. A revised version was launched in January, reducing the requested amount to $33.8 million in line with the outstanding needs. (OCHA, 6 Feb 2014)

Highlights

 The priority remaining needs are shelter, early recovery and support to health services.

 This revised action plan seeks US$33.8 million over a six-month period from October 2013 to April 2014.1 The current funding gap is $19 million.

 WASH facilities are still needed in evacuation camps, schools and health facilities.

 Accurate information on IDPs to effectively allocate funds and develop a comprehensive resettlement strategy will soon be finalized.

13 new projects in the revised action plan that include local partners.

Philippines:BoholEarthquakeActionPlan(Revised)January2014:http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/Bohol%20Earthquake%20Action%20Plan%20%28BEAP%29%20Revision%20FINAL.pdf

Reference: http://www.iitk.ac.in/nicee/wcee/article/10_vol10_6031.pdf

The Philippine Sea plate is tectonically unusual in that almost all the boundaries are convergent. The Pacific plate is subducting beneath the Philippine Sea plate to the east while the west/northwestern part of the Philippine Sea plate is subducting beneath the continental Eurasian plate. The areas surrounding the Philippine Sea plate are very active, producing numerous local earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic activity. 

The evolution of the Philippine Sea plate originated lower than the equator about 55Ma ago and was followed by several tectonic events resulting in its present day location. Ultimately it was a change in the movement, to a westward motion, of the Pacific plate that converted the N-S transform fault on the Philippine Sea plate to the subduction zone currently present along the boundary between these two plates.

When the Philippine plate reaches a depth greater than 100km, the water it contains lowers the fusion point of the surrounding rocks, which creates magma. This magma is hotter and less dense than the rocks around and therefore starts to migrate towards the surface, where it eventually generates volcanism typical of subduction. The chain of volcanoes is more or less always at the same distance (around 300km) from the trench, which is the surface limit between the Philippine and the Eurasian plates.

Block-diagram showing a cross-section of the subduction zone beneath the Philippines. The Philippine tectonic plate (on the right) dives under the Eurasian plate (on the left).

MINERAL RESOURCES

The richness of the Philippines in terms of mineral resources is being attributed to its location at the western fringes of the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire – a ground found to be super loaded with mineral deposits.   Globally, Philippines are ranked 5th as most mineralized country in the world. 

The Philippines is situated along the Circum-Pacific Rim of Fire, where the processes of volcanism and plate convergence caused the deposition of minerals, both metallic and non-metallic.  In fact, the large reserves of various kinds of minerals beneath our ground has put the country in the world mineral map as 5th mineral country in the world, 3rd in gold reserves, 4th in copper, and 5th in nickel.

Around 9 million hectares, or 30% of the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares, are believed to contain important metallic mineral deposits; while 5 million hectares are also known to be potential sites for non-metallic mineral reserves.

The country’s offshore areas, which cover around 2.2 million square kilometers, also contain placer minerals, including gold, magnetite and chromite-bearing sands, aggregate resources like sand and gravel, decorative stones, and polymetallic sulfide deposits.

In all, the country’s estimated mineral reserves are placed at about 14.5 billion metric tons of metallic minerals and about 67.66 billion metric tons of non-metallic minerals.

The most prolific copper and gold producers in the Philippines are found in the Baguio and Mankayan districts, province of Benguet; although the Surigao-Davao districts are also contributing much to Philippine gold production. Major producers of nickel are in Palawan and Surigao.

For more info about Philippine mineral resorces:  click  http://www.mgb.gov.ph

Geography of The Philippines

Geography of The Philippines

The Philippines is a tropical country in Pacific Ocean, blessed with beautiful natural landscapes - and active volcanoes and extreme weather patterns.

The Philippines, consisting of some 7,107 islands, is located in the western Pacific Ocean. Taiwan lies to its north, and Vietnam to the west.
It is the 73rd-largest country in the world by surface area, but with a population of some 98 million people, making it the seventh most populous country in Asia, and the 12th most populous in the world.
Its capital, Manila, is the second largest city in the country after Quezon City (the former capital) - and home to most of the country's educational and political institutions.

Natural Disasters

Typhoon Haiyan is one of the deadliest natural disasters ever to hit the Philippines. But it’s far from the only one - the Southeast Asian country is located in an area that has been struck by a number of major storms.

The Philippines has suffered from an inexhaustible number of deadly typhoons, earthquakes, volcano eruptions and other natural disasters. This is due to its location along the Ring of Fire, or typhoon belt – a large Pacific Ocean region where many of Earth’s volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.
Annually, approximately 80 typhoons develop above tropical waters, of which 19 enter the Philippine region and six to nine make landfall, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC).

The Philippines is in fact the country most exposed to tropical storms in the world. Violent tropical storms, such as the latest Haiyan typhoon, can generate 10 times as much energy as the Hiroshima atomic bomb.

Here is a list of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons, cyclones and other natural disasters the Philippines has had to cope with during the past decade - leaving thousands of people dead and the country's infrastructure and economy in tatters.

Bohol earthquake, October 2013
Typhoon Bopha, November-December 2012
Pantukan landslide, January 2012
Tropical Storm Washi, December 2011
Typhoon Fengshen, June 2008
Cyclone Durian, November 2006
Guinsaugon landslide, February 2006

Tropical Depression Winnie, November 2004