My Community, Our Earth Geographic Learning
for Sustainable Development
Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus
Analysis of Davao City Earthquake Risk Zones
Proponents
Kyle Adrian Basan
Gio Alfonso Maliwat Fernandez
Patricia Maniego
Jade Monica Marie Ruyeras
Lutherr Neill Tapiz
Camille Casas
Green Science Camp Project
Vis Levitas Imperium
Subcamp Advisers
Sheila Musa
Trextan Thaddeus Sanchez
Research Adviser
Michael A. Casas
My Community, Our Earth Geographic Learning
for Sustainable Development
Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus
I. Map with Description
Figure 1. Magnitude and Location of Earthquakes in Davao City
My Community, Our Earth Geographic Learning
for Sustainable Development
Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus
Figure 2.Earthquake Hazard Map and Urban Centers in District 1 of Davao City.
II. Project Summary
The study aims to locate urban centers in Davao City such as hospitals and medical
clinics, schools, malls, hotels, fire stations and police stations. The base map exhibits the risk
level of District 1 in Davao City which would relate to the existing fault lines as well as urban
centers. The goal of this study is to analyze urban centers within areas that would pose a threat
during earthquakes. The hazards of earthquakes were also considered. This was achieved through
hazard mapping using data from the internet and previous studies.
The findings have shown that Talomo Proper has the most number of infrastructures (18)
whereas Langub and Bucana have the least number of infrastructures. Results also show that
areas near Claveria Street, Elpidio Quirino Avenue, J.P. Laurel Avenue and Ramon Magsaysay
Avenue are occupied with large buildings. The said areas have eight (8) hotels, one (1) hospital,
one (1) police station, three (3) schools and one (1) mall doubling the threat due to collateral
hazards.
III. Objectives
This study aims to:
1. produce a map displaying the risk levels and urban centers in areas of Davao City;
2. analyze the disaster risks of an area to earthquakes in relation to urban centers; and
3. suggest methods to reduce Davao City’s risk to earthquakes.
My Community, Our Earth Geographic Learning
for Sustainable Development
Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus
IV. Project Methods
The proponents produced a hazard map containing the earthquake risk levels of areas in
District 1of
Davao City and urban centers within the locality. In the first figure, a base map was
downloaded from the Internet. Data about the magnitude and epicenters of the earthquake were
derived from the internet. Each earthquake that occurred in Davao City up until September 2012
was plotted with different colors, indicating the magnitude of each earthquake.
In the second figure, the base map was derived, modified and recreated from an
earthquake hazard map in the internet. Risk levels were color coded for quick and easy
differentiation. Locations of important industries were identified through Google Map. With this
information, the color-coded risk levels specific locations of infrastructures were mapped using
Zee Maps while the fault line was estimated based from internet fault maps.
V. Findings and Results
Table 1: Urban Centers in Davao City
Barangay Risk-Level Hospitals/Clinic Police Fire Hotel Mall School
Station Station
Bago Aplaya Medium 0 0 0 0 0 1
Bago Gallera Medium 0 0 0 0 0 0
Baliok Medium 0 0 0 0 0 1
Bangkal Medium 3 0 0 0 0 5
Bucana Medium 0 0 0 1 0 0
Catalunan Grande Medium 0 0 0 0 0 7
Catalunan Pequeno Medium 0 0 0 0 0 1
Dumoy Medium 0 0 0 0 0 2
Langub Medium 0 0 0 0 0 0
Ma-a Medium 0 0 0 0 1 1
Magtuod Medium 0 0 0 0 0 1
Matina Aplaya Medium 0 0 1 3 0 6
Matina Crossing Medium 0 1 0 1 0 3
MatinaPangi Medium 0 0 0 0 1 0
Talomo Proper Medium 1 0 0 0 0 17
The earthquake hazard map indicates the risk levels using color codes of green (low-risk),
orange (medium-risk), yellow (high-risk) and red (very-high risk). With the presence of the fault
line in Davao, areas that are within close range to it have been marked as medium-risk whereas
areas with quite a distance were marked as low-risk areas.
Based on Table 1, barangay Bago Aplaya has one (1) school; Baliok has one (1) school;
Bangkal has three (3) hospitals/clinics and five (5) schools; Bucana has one (1) hotel; Catalunan
Grande has seven (7) schools; Catalunan Pequeno has one (1) school; Dumoy has two (2)
schools; Ma-a has one (1) mall and one (1) school; Magtuod has one (1) school; Matina Aplaya
has one (1) fire station, three (3) hotels and six (6) schools; Matina Crossing has one (1) police
station, one (1) hotel and three (3) schools while Talomo Proper has one (1) hospital and 17
My Community, Our Earth Geographic Learning
for Sustainable Development
Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus
schools. In comparison, Talomo Proper is the most urbanized having a total of 18 infrastructures.
The table indicates that Barangay Bago Gallera and Barangay Langub do not have any
infrastructures. All in all, the barangays in District 1 of Davao City are located in a medium-risk
area.
It is observed that urban centers are highly concentrated in locations near Claveria Street,
ElpidioQuirino Avenue, J.P. Laurel Avenue and Ramon Magsaysay Avenue. Based on the map,
this specific parameter contains eight (8) hotels, one (1) hospital, one (1) police station, three (3)
schools and one (1) mall. According to Center for Environmental Geomatics (2005), the effect of
having urban centers within high-risk areas is a double-sided issue. On the one hand, urban
centers can better respond to, for instance, medical needs in a time of disaster. On the other hand,
if the disaster in question is an earthquake or a landslide, then the presence of many
infrastructures within an urban center may actually compound the hazard. Collapsing buildings,
ground liquefaction and the likes are the collateral hazards of having an earthquake in an urban
center. Because of the varying infrastructures, risk analysis should be done in local scales. Thus,
this information suggests that Talomo Proper is exposed to more threats than the other barangays
in Davao City because of the presence of many infrastructures.
VI. Proposed Actions
To avoid high levels of casualties during an earthquake, infrastructures should be
carefully developed and built on areas that will not increase the risks of people from collateral
hazards. Buildings should also be constructed with a good and strong foundation. Finally,
earthquake hazard maps should be disseminated to increase the awareness of people to this type
of catastrophe.
VII. Impacts of your Study
This study contributed to heightened awareness of people about the risks of different
areas in Davao City. Also, this study helps to stress the importance of proper planning,
development and construction of infrastructures. Creating a hazard map is one of the means for
disaster prevention to help the residents act on warnings and evacuating measures. The map
created in this study can be used for further researches and improvement of the Disaster and Risk
Management in Davao City.
VIII. References
Center for Environmental Geomatics (2005).Important Findings Across Map Categories.
Retrieved on September 18, 2012 from http://vm.observatory.ph/findings.html
Udono, T. (2002).Hazard Mapping and Vulnerability Assessment. Retrieved on September 18,
2012 from http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/APCITY/
UNPAN009857.pdf
