Lacson: Tacloban may not be the ideal economic hub

As the government rebuilds areas hit by Super Typhoon Haiyan, it is looking to prioritize the rebuilding the economic hub of Leyte. In the past, that was Tacloban, but now, the government is not so sure. Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery Panfilo Lacson said, “Maybe the path of future calamities really crosses Tacloban. So that’s being studied too… Maybe Tacloban isn’t tenable anymore to be rebuilt in the manner it was before Yolanda.” Tacloban’s location on the country’s eastern seaboard exposes it to many climate risks. From a range of 1 to 10 – with 10 being most vulnerable – Tacloban was rated 6.74 in terms of how exposed it is to climate change impacts, like stronger storms, extreme droughts, sea level rise, and aggravated flooding and landslides, based on a study.

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