Journal of Environmental Science and Management 15(2): 19-34 (December 2012) ISSN 0119-1144 Social Characteristics and Vulnerabilities of Disaster-Prone Communities in Infanta, Quezon, Philippines ABSTRACT This study describes the characteristics of the disaster-prone communities in Infanta, Quezon and determine their level of vulnerabilities. The disaster-affected communities consist of three barangays purposively selected based on their topographical characteristics– lowland, upland and coastal. The 107 respondents from the three selected barangays were grouped according to their biophysical characteristic, socio-economic characteristic, past experience with disaster, and emergency preparedness and adaptation strategies to disasters characteristics. The main assumption is that vulnerability to disaster such as flash floods and mudslides was dependent on these factors and since a significant number of residents were farmers, the clusters were named as Low Vulnerable Upland Farmers, Low Vulnerable Lowland Non-Farmers, High Vulnerable Coastal Farmers and High Vulnerable Coastal Non-Farmers. The clusters in the coastal, low-lying areas whose residents were either farmers or non farmers were considered the most highly vulnerable communities mainly because they were relatively poorer, less prepared for disaster and hadlimited strategies for adaption. Being poor was closely associated with being vulnerable. Key words: social characteristics, vulnerability, natural disaster, cluster analysis, Infanta, Quezon, Philippines ability and capacity of Infanta, Quezon residents to withstand future calamities similar to the November 2004 disaster. How are the Infanta residents differentiated by their level of vulnerabilities to disaster? The social characteristics of the disaster-prone communities in Infanta, Quezon were defined to determine level of vulnerability. Characterizing the municipalities is a valuable information in recommending mitigation measures to disaster–related events. Flooding, especially in low-lying areas, is generally expected during the rainy season. It is more hazardous in the mountaous regions because heavy rains mobilize masses of rock, earth, or debris called landslides. Compared with landslides, mudslides consist of debris flowing at a faster pace which entails destruction of vegetation on mountain slopes. Human activities like kaingin or the “slash and burn” cultivation have triggered landslides associated with long periods of heavy rains (Center for Disease and Control Prevention, 2008). De Sherbinin, et al. (2007) stressed:“Disasters are unequally distributed in public. “Bad These are more likely to happen to more vulnerable subpopulations with the least 1 MA Sociology student, Department of Social Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), UP Los Banos, College, Laguna. E-mail: yuan_kalinawan@yahoo.com (corresponding author) 2 Professor of Sociology, Department of Social Sciences, CAS, UP Los Banos, College, Laguna 3 Professor, School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM) UP Los Banos, College, Laguna 4 Senior Scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany and Adjunct Professor, School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM) UP Los Banos, College, Laguna 5 Professor, Institute of Biological Sciences, CAS, UP Los Banos, College, Laguna 6 Assistant Professor, College of Agriculture, UP Los Banos, College, Laguna 7 Assistant Professor, College of Human Ecology, UP Los Banos, College, Laguna 8 Assistant Professor, College of Human Ecology, UP Los Banos, College, Laguna 9 Assistant Professor, College of Human Ecology, UP Los Banos, College, Laguna INTRODUCTION Over the last 10 years, the Philippines has been one of the countries in Asia where flooding and landslides/mudslides occur frequently (International Society of Red Cross and Red Crescent 2005). In November 2004, Infanta, a municipality in the northern part of Quezon province suffered from flash flooding and mudslides due to continuous torrential rains brought about by two succeeding typhoons- Yoyong and Winnie. Infanta together with the nearby municipalities of General Nakar and Real were isolated for months. The 2004 tragedy in Quezon province left 176 casualties with only 112 of them recovered, There were 53 persons missing and 11 injured to a total of 12,007 affected families. The damages in agriculture amounted to PhP 103.3 M. A total of 4,256 houses were damaged which includes the 1,592 houses which were washed out after the tragedy (Infanta, Quezon Munictoipal Engineering Office, undated, cited by David and Felizardo, 2005). After nearly 10 years, Infanta, Quezon has still not yet fully recovered but there are concrete efforts by the government and its constituents to regain what was lost during the 2004 flashfloods and mudslides. Various groups donated temporary means of survival like relief goods which include food, services and other basic necessities. However, the big challenge still lies in the Mardave P. Asuero 1 , Gloria Luz M. Nelson 2 , Ma. Victoria O Espaldon 3 , Lilibeth A. Acosta 4 , Damasa M. Macandog 5 , Nelita M. Lalican 6 , Edwin R. Abucay 7 , Ma. Charisma T. Malenab 8 and Joan Pauline P. Talubo 9