Philippines, Germany see need to address internal migration in relation to climate change

The Philippines’ National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) agreed to the findings of a 2020 study funded by the German development organization GIZ that the Philippines needs to address the problem of internal migration, including in relation to the “slow-onset” impacts of climate change.

The study, conducted by the United Nations University and the Ateneo de Manila University, found that slow-onset effects of climate change, which occur over a longer period of time than sudden-onset effects such as strong typhoons, are degrading people’s livelihood and may drive them to migrate internally or to other areas in the country to look for other sources of income.

For example, the study pointed out that farming productivity is slowly declining in some areas in the country due to changes in weather patterns.

One research participant from Maypangdan, Borongan, Eastern Samar province said they “used to be able to expect the arrival of the northeast ‘amihan’ monsoon and the southwest ‘habagat’ monsoon in certain months, but they no longer follow their usual patterns.”

As such, she said it is harder for her and the other farmers in their area “to know when the harvest will be, especially those that do not have access to irrigation systems.”

“Some would plant their seeds expecting rains in December but only to witness sunny days…. Events like these make sustaining livelihoods very difficult,” she added.

Another respondent from Sulop, Davao del Sur province said the people in their area now harvest only once a year from four times a year in the past as “the high temperature leads to crop failure.”

After the study findings were presented at the 2021 Internal Migration and Development Summit on June 16 to 18, NEDA Cordillera Administration Region (CAR) assistant regional director Stephanie F. Christiansen said “(w)e agree with the observation on the absence of a policy framework that provides the authority and mandate, as well as necessary resources, to address human mobility or immobility and climate change.”

“The updated Philippine Development Plan mainly focuses on international migration…. Succeeding development plans at the national or regional level should also discuss factors affecting internal migration,” Ms. Christiansen added.

Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) executive director Undersecretary Juan Antonio A. Perez III also agreed with the findings, saying that POPCOM does not yet have a program to handle migration within the country.

“Among all the components of change in the demographic balancing equation, migration shows the least stable trends over time and is the most difficult to measure. We really don’t have a program to monitor migration or to influence migration in this country,” Mr. Perez said.

NEDA also noted the study recommendation to further strengthen disaster risk reduction and management in the country in order to make internal migration unnecessary.

Another study funded by GIZ in April 2020 showed that local government units also need to prepare for internal migration.

It cited a NEDA finding in 2019 that Baguio City has reached the “critical level of its urban carrying capacity” after migrants ballooned its population to 12 times its intended size.

The critical level means the city will be unable to sustain its current population without further damaging its environment.

At the summit, local government representatives asked for support in enhancing their capability to track local migration data.

POPCOM said it is establishing a Registry of Barangay Inhabitants and Migrants to collect data on internal migration for planning and to improve migrant access to basic social services.

The Baguio study further pointed out the need to disperse development across regions. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago