University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines

Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Oroquieta | Panaon

Office of the Dean

College of Engineering & Architecture

Cagayan de Oro

A CONCEPT PAPER

GIS-Based Assessment of Flood Risks to Infrastructures and Critical Facilities in Initao,

Misamis Oriental

In Partial Fulfilment as a Requirement for the Degree

Bachelor of Science in Geodetic Engineering

ENCLUNA, GIL
GAMULO, IVY JANE
ORBITA, LLANA
RAMOS, JECK
UY, HAZEL JANE

ENGR. CHRISTFRENHOWER HIDALGO

Instructor

C.M. Recto Avenue, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000 Philippines, Tel. Nos. +63 (88) 856 1738; Telefax +63 (88) 856 4696 | www.ustp.edu.ph
 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Oroquieta | Panaon

Office of the Dean

College of Engineering & Architecture

Cagayan de Oro

Proposed Title of Research Interest

GIS-Based Assessment of Flood Risks to Infrastructures and Critical Facilities in Initao, Misamis

Oriental

Area of Study (Field of Specialization)

● GIS

Background of the Study

Like many countries nowadays, the Philippines has an increase in frequency and intensity in

flooding, causing severe social, economic, and environmental impact (Puno et al., 2016).

According to Gacu et al., (2022), Monjardin et al.'s study highlights flooding as a significant

natural disaster in the Philippines, causing significant economic damage and causing numerous

deaths, making it the second most frequent calamity, accounting for 31.9% of annual natural

disasters. The Philippine government implemented Republic Act 10121, also known as An Act

Strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) System, to

strengthen preparation for natural disasters, providing a national framework and institutionalizing

a national disaster risk reduction and management plan (Cabrera, & Lee, 2019).

Flood disasters are expected to become more common and devastating than before in the most

densely inhabited urban areas. Flood susceptibility has increased in built-up areas as a result of

rising population and asset consolidation (Chen et al., 2021). The type of flood, or its depth, flow

velocity, and duration of occurrence, determines the damages caused by the flood (Pornasdoro et

al., 2014). Floods pose significant risks to infrastructure, leading to structural damage, rapid

aging, and increased maintenance and replacement costs. They weaken the foundations holding

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 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Oroquieta | Panaon

Office of the Dean

College of Engineering & Architecture

Cagayan de Oro

structures, disrupting infrastructure services and affecting economic activities. This can result in

loss of lives, livelihoods, increased electricity, water, and communication outages, and leaving

communities vulnerable. The larger the area affected, the greater the damage and disruption,

leading to increased operational and maintenance costs (Njogu, 2021).

Civil infrastructures, including electricity grids, roads, railways, ports, airports, water, and ICT,

are crucial for modern societies' physical backbone, ensuring continuous delivery of goods and

services. (Pant et al., 2017). In the Philippines public schools are considered to be an important

infrastructure and it faces constant threats from elements such as earthquakes, floods, and

typhoons. Flooding in and around public schools is a common occurrence in the Philippines due

to heavy rainfall during the rainy season. In 2013, 16.3% of elementary schools were flooded at

least once, with 1,467 schools experiencing three or more floods and 568 schools experiencing

five or more floods. In the National Capital Region, 42.4% of elementary schools and 40.3% of

high schools experienced floods at least once in 2013. Flooding in and around public schools is

a constant hazard in the Philippines, with densely urban areas experiencing even the slightest

rainfall. Schools are used to getting flooded periodically, but some face challenges on different

fronts (Atun & David, 2016).

In December 2022, the town of Initao in Misamis Oriental, Philippines was severely affected by

floods. This unfortunate event was triggered by heavy rainfall, causing a creek in Initao to exceed

its capacity and overflow. As a result, numerous houses situated along the banks of the creek

were inundated. The scale of the flooding was significant, leading to the evacuation of more than

100 families in the affected area (GMA News, 2022).

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 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Oroquieta | Panaon

Office of the Dean

College of Engineering & Architecture

Cagayan de Oro

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are computer software and hardware that sort,

manipulate, analyze, and display spatial data. GIS is a very important information system used as

a tool in the whole processing system. They are crucial in processing systems and solve various

problems based on data. GIS offers improved convenience, accuracy, productivity, and access to

large amounts of spatial data. However, it can be limited by existing data sources required for

sitting analysis (Khater et al., 2022). According to Penning and Roswell et al. cited from the book

of Brebbia (2010), the Geographic Information System (GIS) plays a crucial role in the flood

damage evaluation process. Flood damage assessment is based on different data: flood hazard

data i.e. flood parameters spatial distribution, exceedance probability; and assets vulnerable data

i.e. assets exposure, susceptibility to suffer damage and damaging potential. The pairwise

comparison method (Saaty, 1980) is the most often used procedure for estimating criteria weights

in GIS-MCA applications (Malczewski, 2006a). The method employs an underlying scale with

values from 1 to 9 to rate the preferences with respect to a pair of criteria.

Statement of the Problem

Initao, Misamis Oriental, is one of the municipalities that is inevitable to flooding events, posing

significant threats to infrastructures and critical facilities in the region. With increasing climate

change, the frequency and intensity of these flood events are likely to escalate, potentially leading

to severe economic, social, and environmental consequences. Despite the recognized

vulnerability of the area, there exists a critical gap in the systematic assessment and mapping of

flood risks to essential infrastructures and facilities.

This study will specifically seek to answer the following questions:

C.M. Recto Avenue, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000 Philippines, Tel. Nos. +63 (88) 856 1738; Telefax +63 (88) 856 4696 | www.ustp.edu.ph
 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Oroquieta | Panaon

Office of the Dean

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Cagayan de Oro

1. What are the specific infrastructure and critical facilities at risk due to flooding in Initao,

Misamis Oriental?

2. What is the current state of flood risk in Initao, Misamis Oriental, and how does it impact

infrastructure and critical facilities in the municipality?

3. Can GIS-based flood risk assessments contribute to better-informed decision-making

processes for emergency response planning and the allocation of resources to protect

vulnerable infrastructure?

Objectives of the Study

This research study intends to achieve the following objectives:

1. To identify and delineate specific infrastructure and critical facilities in Initao, Misamis

Oriental that are at risk due to flooding.

2. To assess the current state of flood risk in Initao, Misamis Oriental, and evaluate its impact

on infrastructure and critical facilities within the municipality, including the extent of

damage and disruption caused by flooding events.

3. To determine the effectiveness of GIS-based flood risk assessments in improving

emergency response planning and resource allocation, focusing on protecting and

mitigating critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.

Research Locale and Data sets

A coastal municipality in the province of Misamis Oriental, Mindanao Island group with a

total land area of 111.27 square kilometers or 42.96 square miles which constitutes 3.55% of

Misamis Oriental's total area with coordinates of 8° 30' North, 124° 18' East (8.4975, 124.3056).

C.M. Recto Avenue, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000 Philippines, Tel. Nos. +63 (88) 856 1738; Telefax +63 (88) 856 4696 | www.ustp.edu.ph
 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Oroquieta | Panaon

Office of the Dean

College of Engineering & Architecture

Cagayan de Oro

Its estimated elevation above sea level is 6.1 meters or 20.0 feet. The topography of Initao is

characterized by a combination of elevated areas and low-lying plains. The study area includes

the analysis of river systems, water channels, and their interactions with the surrounding

landscape. Notable features such as the Tubigan River and its tributaries will be scrutinized,

considering their significant role in the hydrological dynamics of the region. Initao is home to a

variety of critical infrastructures, including healthcare facilities, educational institutions,

transportation networks, and emergency response centers. The distribution and characteristics of

these infrastructures will be a focal point of the study, aiming to identify vulnerabilities and assess

the potential impact of flooding on these essential facilities.

Theoretical Framework

This section gives an overview on the fundamental concepts related in field of mapping flood

risks to infrastructures and critical facilities in Initao, Misamis Oriental. It highlights a discussion

on the approach to map objects of interest and the characteristics of this approach.

GIS-based approach:

Modern Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enable anyone to create maps, making digital

cartography an intuitive process without requiring basic rules or map users (Hosein, 2020). GIS

techniques are useful for identifying and gauging the flood vulnerability zones and to prepare the

flood risk map on a near real time basis. Optical remote sensing images can also be adopted for

mapping floods because of their ability to collect spectral information and high resolution

(Sangwai, 2023). Flood hazard maps integrate geospatial and temporal data for risk assessment,

modeling, and decision support. Geographical Information System (GIS) software is a powerful

C.M. Recto Avenue, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000 Philippines, Tel. Nos. +63 (88) 856 1738; Telefax +63 (88) 856 4696 | www.ustp.edu.ph
 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Oroquieta | Panaon

Office of the Dean

College of Engineering & Architecture

Cagayan de Oro

tool for integrated flood management, suitable for base mapping, topographic mapping, and post-

disaster verification of mapped floodplain extents and depths (Simoes, 2012).

There have been many studies, especially in the advanced countries, adopting GIS technology in

the investigation of flood hazard risk, and its spatial-time distribution has been indispensable in

several similar studies. Via applications of the integrated GIS approach, the various fuzzy

systems for land-use suitability analysis have been established. Case studies have given good

results for the experimental areas. The approach brings land-use planners important supports for

their decisions so as to enhance socio-economic benefits and balance environmental impacts

under the limitation of natural resources (Siddayao et al., 2014).

In this study, the researchers will identify the different parameters namely the Hazard Parameters,

Vulnerability Parameters, and the Exposure Parameters. The height of the flood, the slope and

elevation of the various infrastructures and facilities are factors considered for Hazard parameters.

The vulnerability parameters include the residents or occupants of specific infrastructures and

facilities to withstand identified hazards. Lastly, the exposure parameters include the general

public, the number of households and buildings in the study area. Furthermore, this study will

employ GIS to lay out, analyze, and assess flood risk in the area of Initao, Misamis Oriental. GIS

allows data sets including location of infrastructure, elevation, rainfall and land cover. These

datasets enable the generation of a map highlighting flood-prone areas in Initao and Misamis

Oriental. Figure 1. below shows the framework of conducting an assessment on the different

areas or parameters such as hazard, vulnerability, and exposure parameters.

C.M. Recto Avenue, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000 Philippines, Tel. Nos. +63 (88) 856 1738; Telefax +63 (88) 856 4696 | www.ustp.edu.ph
 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Oroquieta | Panaon

Office of the Dean

College of Engineering & Architecture

Cagayan de Oro

Significance of the study

This study aims to derive an assessment to the flood risks to infrastructures and critical facilities

in the municipality of Initao, Misamis Oriental. The results of the study will be of great benefit

to the following:

Government authorities. The results that will be obtained from the study offers vital insights to

local government officials and emergency management agencies. This information empowers

them to make well-informed judgments concerning flood risk management, allocation of

resources, and the formulation of emergency response plans. Furthermore, it plays a crucial role

in safeguarding not only the infrastructure but also the well-being of the community at large.

Residents. The research findings have the potential to bring advantage to the local community of

Initao. By enhancing the understanding of flood risks among residents, it can effectively raise

awareness and promote a sense of preparedness. This, in turn, may facilitate the development of

well-structured evacuation plans, providing individuals with the necessary knowledge and

guidance to navigate emergency situations. Additionally, the study's insights can contribute to the

implementation of improved safety measures.

C.M. Recto Avenue, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000 Philippines, Tel. Nos. +63 (88) 856 1738; Telefax +63 (88) 856 4696 | www.ustp.edu.ph
 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
Alubijid | Cagayan de Oro | Claveria | Jasaan | Oroquieta | Panaon

Office of the Dean

College of Engineering & Architecture

Cagayan de Oro

Future research. The research findings serve as a valuable resource for future researchers and

academics who are engaged in the fields of flood risk assessment, disaster management, and GIS

technology. Not only does it offer a point of reference for future studies, but it also contributes

significantly to the broader academic community's comprehension and knowledge of related

subjects. Moreover, by delving into this study, this will be a foundation upon which further

researchers can gain deeper insights and enhance their understanding of these topics.

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C.M. Recto Avenue, Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City 9000 Philippines, Tel. Nos. +63 (88) 856 1738; Telefax +63 (88) 856 4696 | www.ustp.edu.ph
 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
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 University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
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