Abstract:
Situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines is a hotspot for seismic and
volcanic activities with its numerous active volcanoes — one among them being the Taal
Volcano, which continuously poses a threat to the safety of communities such as in rural San
Nicolas, Batangas. Bearing the brunt of such disasters are women, often disproportionately
affected given the gender-related disadvantages that heighten their exposure and vulnerability. As
such, it is crucial to emphasize their concrete realities, to address the existing gendered
inequalities that exacerbate them, and to highlight their role and visibility in disaster risk
reduction and management (DRRM). Anchored on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), gender
differences in risk perception, and intersectionality, this study aims to assess the gender
dimensions of the risk perception of women from the lakeshore communities of San Nicolas,
Batangas on the Taal Volcano’s impending threat towards a more inclusive and
gender-responsive local DRRM.
Findings conclude that the women’s volcanic risk perception is heavily influenced by
their domestic responsibilities and the household division of labor. Furthermore, their readiness
and capacity to respond is characterized by their economic dependence and depravity on
opportunities as they are tied to care work. The women are also being limited by their perceived
physical challenges and internalized stereotypes, and while their role in decision-making within
the household is increasingly given importance, they remain invisible in the local DRRM
processes and disaster governance. With this, this study moves to promote strategies that
recognize beyond their vulnerabilities and their homemaker status, empower them to fill the
empty seats, and institutionalize inclusion in connection to the broader calls on gender equality
in and beyond disasters.
