This is the third part of my previous post on a quest to find a suitable figure for Iligan City’s Relative Hardship. After writing about a comparison of economic and political conditions in India and the Philippines, giving particular considerations to Iligan City, this post will continue with public service and climatic conditions.
Public Service conditions include provision, administration and accessibility to water, electricity, sanitation, work permits, etc.
World Resources Institute (2008) reported in a 2002 survey, that India’s water poverty index was 53; while in 2004 use of improved water source in urban areas amounted to 95% of total population. Philippines’s Water Poverty Index was at 61 and use of improved water source in urban areas: 87% of total population. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources says that close to 25 million Filipinos (33%) do not have access to safe drinking water while only 26.25 million (35%) have access to water for sanitation (Lacuarta, 2003).
In 2004, moreover, a Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply & Sanitation, UNICEF and WHO found that in India, only 33% of the population with access to sanitation; while 89% of the population with access to improved water resources. Meanwhile, 72% of the Philippine population have with access to sanitation and 93% of Filipinos have access to improved water resources (Social Watch, 2008). Incidentally, the Commission of Population (2000) estimated in 2005, that 99.82% of Iligan City’s household have access to safe water; 85.62% with exclusive sanitary toilet, and 71,04% with access to garbage disposal.
World Resources Institute (2005) reported in 2001, India with coal, oil and natural gas reserves, yet, electricity consumption per capita amounted to 408kWh and only 43% have access to it yet net fuel imports still amounted to 90 million metric tons. Philippines with no natural fuel reserves, electricity consumption per capita amounted to 517kWh with 87% of the population had access, and net fuel imports only amounted to about 22 million metric tons.
In terms of telecommunications services, Social Watch (2008) reported that per 1,000 people in India there are 55 internet users, 16 personal computers, 45 telephone mainlines; while in the Philippines, there are 53.91 internet users, 45.14 personal computers, 40.54 telephone mainlines.
Kor (2005) in his Economic Policy Analysis of the Philippines using the McKeever rating scale gave the Philippines a raw score of 4.0 [equivalent to 12.0 as adjusted score on a maximum of 15.0] for Communications Systems. He commented:
“The Philippines certainly has the sufficient communication equipment in its possession. The Philippines for one, is considered to be the texting (cell phone messaging) capital of the world, outnumbering the number of texts continental Europe does in a month compared to what the Philippines does in the day. In addition, most television sets have access to news and entertainment through its local channels, not to mention the option to have cable access in order to see international news (e.g. CNN). Radios are perhaps the most abundant of all media sources in the Philippines; every house is certain to have one. Newspapers are widely spread and faxing and the computer (internet) has already been introduced quite some time before. However, the downside to this is that it is not totally spread throughout the country; most of it is only available in the urban areas.”
Thus, the Philippines has accessible sanitation, improved water resources, and electricity, as well as telecommunications services. It can then be said: Water is scarce in Mumbai; electricity is sporadic [two long brownouts during the day]; personal sanitation is only for those who could afford.
Climatic conditions include extremely hot or cold weather. Pidwirny (2006) wrote:
“The Köppen Climate Classification System is the most widely used system for classifying the world’s climates. Its categories are based on the annual and monthly averages of temperature and precipitation. The Köppen system recognizes five major climatic types; each type is designated by a capital letter. A – Tropical Moist Climates: all months have average temperatures above 18° Celsius. B – Dry Climates: with deficient precipitation during most of the year. C – Moist Mid-latitude Climates with Mild Winters. D – Moist Mid-Latitude Climates with Cold Winters. E – Polar Climates: with extremely cold winters and summers.”
While Mumbai has a tropical wet and dry climate. Wikipedia summarized:
“Mumbai’s climate can be best described as moderate temperatures with high level of humidity. . . throughout the year, average of 27.2°C and average precipitation of 216.7 cm [1]. The temperatures in average about 30°C in summer and 18°C in winter. Mumbai’s experiences 4 distinct seasons Winter: (December-Feb); Summer: (March-May); Monsoon (June-Sep) and Post Monsoon (Oct-Dec).”
WebIndia123 wrote:
“The climate of Maharashtra is typically monsoonal in character, with ‘hot’ rainy and cold weather seasons. The months of March-April and May are maximum heat. In April and May thunderstorms are a common feature all over the state. June is the onset of the south-west monsoon. July is the wettest month and August is substantially rainy, by September the south west monsoonal current weakens. October marks the transition from the rainy season to winter. From November to February there is a cool dry spell . . . Temperature variations in Maharashtra are not of that consequence as those in rainfall. Tropical conditions are common all over. High summer temperatures induce local thunder showers.”
The Department of Tourism states that Iligan City belongs to the C type climate (short, low, sun dry season one to three months with less than 74 mm. of rainfall from strong weather disturbances). Average annual temperature is 21.68° Celsius. The city government improves this description, as:
“Iligan falls within the third type of climate wherein the seasons are not very pronounced. Rain is more or less evenly distributed throughout the year. Because of its tropical location the city does not experience cold weather. Neither does it experience strong weather disturbances due to its geographical location (being outside the typhoon belt).”
Thus, Iligan City has Climate C, while Maharastra — where Dolvi and Kalmeshwar are situated — has Climate A.
Notes:
Bissio, Roberto [ed.] (2008). 2008 Measuring Progress, Montevideo, Uruguay: Instituto del Tercer Mundo, 2008. pp. 44-45, 54-55. back to text
Commission on Population (2000). Iligan City POPDEV Indicators, Cagayan de Oro: Commission on Population Regional Population Office No. 10, 2000. back to text
Kor, Rungleigh (2005). Philippines: Economic Policy Analysis. Online: McKeever Institute of Economic Policy Analysis (MIEPA), December 2005. back to text
Lacuarta, Gerald G. (2003). 25M Pinoys have no access to clean water — DENR. Manila: Philippine Daily Inquirer, 26 March 2003. back to text
Pidwirny, M. (2006). Climate Classification and Climatic Regions of the World. Fundamentals of Physical Geography, 2nd Edition. Online: Physical Geography, accessed 19 February 2009. back to text
World Resources Institute (2005) in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, and World Bank. 2005. World Resources 2005: The Wealth of the Poor—Managing Ecosystems to Fight Poverty. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute, 2005. pp. 9, 12, 188-9, 196-7, 200. back to text
World Resources Institute (2008) in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme, and World Bank. World Resources 2008: Roots of Resilience—Growing the Wealth of the Poor. Washington, DC: World Resources Institute, 2008. p. 206. back to text
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