Second National Communications unique to each one – Albay has coastal, lowland and transitions into highland ecosystems with the Mayon volcano at its back. Bohol is an island ecosystem while Surigao has coastal and lowlands mainly. All are in the typhoon corridors. 3.3 Pilot Areas Communicating the health impacts of climate change is essential for us to see the vulnerabilities and the possible options for adaptation. In the second national communications initiative, there were three pilot sites namely Albay in region 5 in Bicol, Bohol province in the Central Visayas region 7 and Surigao del Norte in CARAGA region 8 that were initially studied for the different sectors in order to appreciate and establish possible climate change impacts. The three pilot sites have ecosystems and geographical contours that are unique to each; likewise, its distribution of rainfall through the modified coronas classification. Albay has a modified coronas type II, III, IV distributed over the whole province where they experience from very pronounced maximum rainfall from November to January to an even distribution of rainfall throughout the year. While Bohol has mainly type IV, where rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, and Surigao del Norte has mainly type II with pronounced rainfall from November to January. 28 In addition to this weather parameter, means of temperature, humidity and possibly wind readings over the years would be the significant ones to follow. Array these to the significant health parameter of diseases, then we will be able to visualize the possible effects of climate change. 4.0 Current Adaptation As part of our study we endeavored to utilize the focused group discussion as part of our confirmatory step. It helps the qualitative part of the study as it aids in validating the quantitative results that were derived from the statistical method employed. We came up with a set of questions which were asked of the health personnel as they were the ones who would be in a better position to give us a picture of the past and prevailing health situations. From these questions also arose what were some of the adaptation response mechanisms they have instituted in the past for disasters and disease outbreaks. 28 n What are the health vulnerabilities ¡ Infrastructure, Diseases n Climate sensitivity (diseases) ¡ What are the immediate past and existing disease occurrences (whether outbreak proportion or not but was otherwise noticeable) ¡ How much of the population was affected (percentage or specific if What were the weather conditions prevailing at the time of the increased incidence ¡ Weather parameters affecting the dynamics of disease transmission n Vectors –life cycle (waterborne, airborne) n Host n What are the response mechanisms ¡ What are the responses of the LGU/concerned agencies to the noticeable increase in the diseases (human and financial) ¡ What are the cross sector responses ¡ What other contribution factors outside of the weather could have been present at the time Philippine statistics, geography and climate types. Available from http://philippinesarchipelago.com/statistics/geographical.html 18