ABSTRACT

SINGCOL, ARGIE R. Central Mindanao University, University Town, Musuan, Bukidnon. March 2012. Geospatial Analysis and Community Coping Mechanisms in Flood-prone Areas in Valencia City, Bukidnon.

Adviser: Dr. Jose Hermis P. Patricio The study generally aimed to determine the extent of flooding in Poblacion, Valencia City using geographic information systems (GIS), and to identify the coping mechanisms adopted by flood victims. The study was conducted from NovemberDecember 2011. A socio-demographic and perception survey using a pre-tested questionnaire was undertaken involving 71 household respondents who were affected by previous flood incidents in the study area. The survey also included determination of the respondents coping mechanisms on flooding. Based on GIS maps that were generated in this study, flooding incidents in the study area were usually concentrated in areas adjacent to a body of water particularly along Pulangi River. Based on most of the respondents accounts, the latest flood in these areas occurred last December 27, 2011 which lasted about five hours with a depth ranging from 1.1 to 1.5 meters. Fifteen (15) households were affected in the same flood incident that reached a depth of 2.36 to 4.79 meters. Most of the respondents also claimed that flood occurrence in the study area usually happen three times a year. Most of the household respondents who were flood victims were females, 41-50 years old, had a household size of 4-6, and reached college level. Most of them had been

residing in Valencia City for the past five years, and earned an estimated monthly income of PhP 1, 000.00-5,000.00. It can be observed that the most common type of coping mechanism applied by victim-respondents before, during and after is social coping mechanism. Since respondents have been residing in the area for 5 years, it is expected that households employed more than two coping mechanisms in order to cope with the negative impact of flood and yet they still do not know what other coping mechanism they would employ when flood strikes. Based on fieldwork result, there is no evidence that the higher the household size, the better is coping mechanism employed by victim-respondents. It was also observed that there is no direct evidence to prove that higher source of income of the households would lead to a greater capacity of the household to deal with flood threat. It is recommended that the LGU concerned should invest in early warning system as part of its disaster risk reduction and management program. It should also exercise strong political will in relocating households that have been identified as very prone to floods. It should also continue to increasingly allocate budget for financial assistance to flood victims to further strengthen their capacity to cope with recurring floods in the study area.