Philippines is most disaster-prone in Asia – RAPPLER – Philippine News | Multimedia | Citizen Journalism | Social Media.

by VOLTAIRE TUPAZ, RAPPLER.com

January 28, 2012

 MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines topped the list of Asian countries hit by disasters in 2011, according to a recent report of the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED).

As a result, President Benigno Aquino III should prioritize disaster risk reduction.

This was according to Margareta Wahlström, Visiting Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction, who said on Friday, January 27, she will tell the UN head to convey to the President the need to prioritize disaster risk reduction.

“I will ask him if he would kindly put it on his next agenda when he meets the President of the Philippines to highlight the opportunity to give top priority to reducing risk,” Wahlstrom told Rappler during her recent visit to the country.

The number of disasters that hit the country in 2011 totaled 33, claiming 1,430 lives. The figures are way higher than China’s 21, India’s 11, Indonesia‘s 11, and Japan’s 7.

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