What causes typhoons in the Philippines? Is it because of global warming and climate change?

 

Holly Benedicto

Bisaya. Has travelled all over the Philippines, some Asian countries and the United States. Scientific background. Has worked extensively with Americans.

The Philippines is next to the Pacific Ocean where the typhoons are formed.

Typhoons have always been a problem in the Philippines and other countries like Japan that are near the vast Pacific.

Every year, without fail, during the months of June to December, we are plagued with monsoons, typhoons and rain, while we get super hot temperatures and little rain from January to May.

The flooding you see could be from climate change but many areas ALWAYS get flooded, especially those that are low-lying.

This is to be expected on a yearly basis like clockwork…and yet, many are still caught unawares. I wish I knew of a study that explored disaster preparedness across the Philippines so I can give you stats but all I have is opinion: while government agencies like the Philippine Coast Guarda and the Philippine Red Cross are prepared to help in times of disasters, the average Filipino is NOT.

Definitely something we need to be thinking about.

What are some traditional Filipino family names?

Marianne Carandang

writer, editor, researcher, cook

Names in the Philippines will generally fall into these categories:

Names of Indian/Sanskrit origin - Laxamana, Binay, Bagatsing, Bacani

Spanish-Mexican/Latin American names - De Guzman, Lopez, Hernandez, Rodriguez, many assigned by the Spanish religious orders upon baptizing local villages and towns;

Spanish names that are Basque in origin - Sanchez, Diaz, Echeverria, Aguirre, Elizalde. This is a small subset of #2;

Chinese surnames, either in one syllable (Tan, Lim, Ong, Uy, Chan, Go), two syllables (Tanlu, Anglo, Limpe), or in three-syllables, usually a composite of a family patriarch’s full name (Angangco, Yutivo, Golangco).

Interestingly the composite, some 3-syllable names have adopted a more Hispanized spelling over time (Consunji, Syquia, Cojuangco).

“Native” Filipino (meaning non-colonial) surnames - Andal, Dimaano, Macasaet, Puno, Payumo - and apparently my own: Carandang.

The origin of tribal surnames across the Philippines deserves its own group of questions.