Philippines Maintains Status as World’s Most Disaster-Prone Nation Amid Corruption and Climate Challenges

The Philippines continues to hold the title of the world’s most disaster-prone nation for the 21st consecutive year, according to the 2025 WorldRiskIndex released by German organizations Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft and Ruhr University Bochum. With a risk score of 46.56, unchanged from the previous year, the country leads out of 193 nations surveyed, followed by India, Indonesia, Colombia, and Mexico.

The index evaluates countries based on their exposure to natural hazards including cyclones, floods, and earthquakes, alongside socio-economic vulnerabilities like poverty, inequality, and health system capacity. The Philippines faces extensive risks, with river and coastal flooding identified as the most critical threats, compounded by the nation’s experience of an average of 20 tropical storms annually.

The recent assessment arrives as the country braces for Tropical Storm Opong, shortly after Super Typhoon Nando (internationally Ragasa) inflicted significant damage across Luzon. Despite ongoing climate threats, government efforts towards flood control have been severely undermined by corruption. A major inquiry earlier this year uncovered widespread misappropriation of funds, leading to the removal of P255 billion ($4.4 billion) of flood control projects from the 2026 national budget, effectively cutting flood control allocations to zero.

"One problem that has become obvious is that the needed infrastructures like flood control projects are not being built because of corruption," said Maria Ela L. Atienza, political science professor at the University of the Philippines. "There seems to be more focus on relief rather than disaster prevention."

The Philippines also ranks fourth globally in disaster exposure with a score of 39.99, and registers "very high" vulnerability (54.2) and coping capacity (58.54) scores, indicating fragile infrastructure and overstretched social systems. The provinces most vulnerable to flooding include Cagayan, Agusan del Norte, Pangasinan, Pampanga, Maguindanao, and Metro Manila, each with flood exposure exceeding 82%. In contrast, areas such as Marinduque and Laguna experience much lower risk.

Metro Manila’s flood vulnerabilities are exacerbated by "soil sealing," a process where rapid urban development replaces natural land with impermeable surfaces, inhibiting water absorption. The city, located on low-lying river plains intersected by the Pasig River and a network of canals, remains highly susceptible. Laguna’s relative safety is credited to its hilly terrain and the buffering effect of Laguna de Bay, which absorbs excess water.

Experts argue that the Philippines’ elevated disaster risk is a consequence of governance failures rather than geography alone. John Paolo R. Rivera, senior research fellow at the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, highlighted the impact of poor public spending. "Risks have skyrocketed because public investment in risk management, flood controls, and climate change was substandard to nonexistent," he noted. "Politicians and their cahoots decided to be greedy."

Despite disaster-related legislation and receipt of international climate finance, government spending priorities have skewed heavily towards emergency relief instead of long-term prevention measures such as improved drainage systems, water retention basins, and reforestation initiatives. Ms. Atienza emphasized the need for balanced development, cautioning against infrastructure projects that exacerbate disaster risk. "Large-scale infrastructures like airports, highways, and commercial developments should not destroy the environment or increase vulnerability to disasters," she stated.

Globally, disaster risk is increasingly influenced by social inequalities and institutional weaknesses. While the Philippines tops the list, other regions like Africa also face high vulnerability — nearly 80% of the continent is classified as high or very high risk.

China leads in disaster exposure, ranking eighth globally with a score of 30.62, while the United States does not appear in the top 10. Widening gaps between disaster exposure and coping capacities worldwide reflect challenges governments face in financing adequate prevention measures.

Despite multiple donor-funded disaster programs and national legislation, Manila’s implementation of disaster risk management remains lagging. Recent typhoons such as Super Typhoon Nando have resulted in billions of pesos in agricultural and infrastructure losses, straining government finances amid mounting debt exceeding 60% of GDP.

Looking ahead, experts warn that eliminating flood control funds from the 2026 budget could intensify economic and human cost from disasters. The 2025 WorldRiskIndex report calls for a fundamental re-evaluation of disaster preparedness frameworks, stressing that increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events are overwhelming existing protection systems.

"Successful coping strategies require a combination of technological innovation, local capacity, and ecological resilience," the report concludes, emphasizing that practical, multi-faceted approaches offer the best hope for mitigating disaster risk in vulnerable countries like the Philippines.