Resolving post-disaster displacement crises: Insights from the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan

When Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) hit the Philippines in November 2013, it was one of the strongest storms ever recorded and resulted in a massive displacement crisis with more than four million people forced from their homes. One and a half years later, the reconstruction process is well under way, but major challenges remain as survivors struggle to rebuild their homes and regain their livelihoods. As new disasters and displacement crises are unfolding in countries such as Nepal, experiences in the Philippines represent an important source of insight for governments, international organizations, NGOs, and disaster-affected communities alike.

On June 24, the Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) convened a discussion on efforts to resolve post-disaster displacement crises, focusing on experiences in the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan. Brookings Nonresident Fellow Megan Bradley and Bradley Mellicker of IOM shared the results of a new study that draws on a major household survey and extensive interviews with community members, government officials, and other key stakeholders to examine the question of durable solutions for internally displaced persons uprooted by Typhoon Haiyan. Speakers also included Luca Dall’Oglio, chief of mission for IOM in Washington, DC, and James Fleming of USAID.

Elizabeth Ferris, senior fellow and co-director of the Brookings-LSE Project on Internal Displacement, moderated the event and offered opening remarks.

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Resolving post-disaster displacement: Insights from the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda)