Evacuation destination choice behavior of households in Eastern Samar, Philippines during the 2013 Typhoon Haiyan

Abstract

Understanding evacuee behavior is important to minimize the loss of lives and manage evacuation in the future. Evacuation destination choice entails the decision of affected people regarding where to stay, away from an impending hazard. This study investigates the factors considered by households when choosing where to go during an evacuation period. Data was gathered from households in one of the most affected barangays in Borongan City, Eastern Samar during Typhoon Haiyan. A binary logit was used to determine the significance of variables in evacuation destination choice. Destination categories are public shelter/evacuation center and family/friends' house. Results show that gender, income, marital status, and the number of household members that evacuated are significant factors in the choice of destination. The results from the study give relevant insights for government agencies and research institutions towards understanding destination behavior. Consideration of simultaneously modeling evacuation destination with evacuation decision is an insight taken from this study.