1

Analysis of Climate Impact to Land Loss in Macajalar Bay,

Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines
Words Matter to Better Informs Climate Change Adaption

A Research Paper

Presented to the

Institution Review Comittee

of Department of Research

Gusa Regional Science High School –X

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for Research VI

Writing Scientific Research

Bagotchay, Niea

Daug, Carl David

Dunque, Chloe Zazne

Hawan, Zaira Rhian

Isla, Brandon Louie

Maliao, Mary Rose

 2

March, 2020

CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM

Introduction

Climate change is any significant long-term change in the expected

patterns of average weather of a region or the whole Earth over a significant

period of time. Climate change is about abnormal variations to the climate, and

the effects of these variations on other parts of the Earth.

The Earth’s climate change has changed throughout the history. Just in

the last 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and

retreat, with the abrupt end of the last ice age about 11,700 years ago marking

the beginning of the modern climate era and of human civilization. Most of these

climate changes are attributed to very small variations in Earth’s orbit that change

the amount of solar energy our planet receives.

The current warming trend is of particular significance because most of it

is extremely likely or greater than 95 percent probability to be the result of human

activity since the mid-20th century and proceeding at a rate that is

unprecendented over decades to millennia. (NASA, 2015)

 3

Land loss is the term typically used to refer to the conversion of coastal

land to open water by natural processes and human activities. It includes land

converted to open water around the edges of estuaries and interior bays and

lakes and by subsidence of coastal plain wetlands. It also includes salt salinity,

which due to rise of sea levels it increases the solution of salt in the soil. The

most important causes of land loss in coastal plains are erosiom, inadequate

sediment supply to beaches and wetlands, subsidence and global sea level rise.

The mixture of processes responsible for most of the land loss will vary occuring

the specific part of a coastal plain being examined. (WIKIPEDIA, 2014)

This study was focused about land loss within the barangays of

Macajalar Bay, Cagayan de Oro City. Using the data that was gathered, the

researchers could determine the cause and effects of land loss to the given

barangays and can create a method to prevent lessen the problem.

Conceptual Framework

The effects of land loss and climate change is turning into a dangerous

way. In this study, the researchers determined the effects of land loss in

Macajalar Bay to prevent and mitigate the effects of climate change to Land Loss.

Independent Variable Dependent Variable

 Residents would be more
The data gathered about aware of changes in their
the climate impacts to land environment
loss in Macajalar Bay.  Help areas affected adapt
to climate change

Figure 1. Relationship between the Independent and Dependent Variables.

 4

Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to assess the impacts of climate change to land loss in

the ten (10) coastal barangays within Macajalar Bay, Cagayan de Oro City.

Through this social vulnerability assessment and climate risk assessment, this

provided enough knowledge to help improve the understanding of the

implications of climate change and to inform allocation of resources for planning

and adaptation. Furthermore, this study investigated the impact chain of land loss

in the said area.

Specifically, it aimed and successfully answered the following questions:

1. What climate data is available in coastal barangays to explain pattern

of climate change vulnerability;

2. What is the climate impact to land loss in the study area;

3. What vulnerability indicators are identified to impact land loss; and

4. Is there any significant difference on the lives of people through the

innovation before and after implementation?

Scope and Limitations

This study focused on the ten (10) coastal barangays within Macajalar

Bay, Cagayan de Oro City.

There were 10 respondents in each barangay who answered the survey,

specifically the residents that live near the area. The researchers were
 5

accompanied by a barangay staff and guided them towards households that live

near the coast.

Significance of the Study

The result of this research provided the information regarding the analysis

of the climate impacts to land loss in Macajalar Bay which are the places found in

Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines. It also brought implications and insights on the

following groups or sectors.

Local Government. This study can help the local government of Cagayan

de Oro City to determine the effects of climate change and how it affects the

livelihood of the people. They could also refer to this study to implement ways or

campaigns to prevent these damages from happening.

Community. This helped the people in the community to mitigate the

effects of climate changes.

Future Researchers. The students can benefit from this study by learning

and determining how climate change damage a community.

Definition of Terms

Climate Change. Refers to any long-term change in the average weather

patterns in a particular area.

 6

Coastal Erosion. Refers to the loss or displacement of land, or the long-

term removal of sediment and rocks along the coastline due to the acrion of

waves, currents, tides, or other impacts of storms.

Global Warming. Refers to a gradual increase in the overall temperature of

the earth's atmosphere generally attributed to the greenhouse effect caused by

increased levels of carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, and other pollutants.

Land Loss. Refers to a term typically used to refer to the conversion of

coastal land to open water by natural processes and human activities.

4
3
2