Dwelling structures in a flood-prone area in the philippines: Sense of place and its functions for mitigating flood experiences

Type Journal Article - International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
Title Dwelling structures in a flood-prone area in the philippines: Sense of place and its functions for mitigating flood experiences
Author(s)
Volume 15
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2016
Page numbers 108-115
Abstract
Sense of place is a multidimensional concept consisting of place dependence, place identity and place attachment aspects. These three aspects are distinct place concepts which refer to an individual's subjective perception and his/her conscious feelings which result from daily interactions within a predefined functioning environment. In order to determine how sense of place is affected by natural phenomena, this paper identified place dependence, place attachment, and place identity of residents in barangay Tadlac, a flood-prone, lakeshore barangay located in the Municipality of Los Baños, Laguna in the Philippines. A combination of quantitative and qualitative techniques were used to gather and interpret data concerning resident's sense of place in relation to Tadlac as a flood-prone community. Results show that in spite of repeated experiences of flooding events in the community, sense of place is seen as a functional mechanism which allow residents to adapt, as well as maintain, their residency within Tadlac. In considering community responses to disasters, disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) frameworks should thus incorporate sense of place as one important variable, in addition to other environmental and social variables, for interpreting the rationale of residents living in disaster-prone areas.

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