The year 2000 was a year of destruction in the Philippines, resulting in the death of 1,538 people, 1,606 injured, and 134 missing, all presumed dead, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said in its year-end report.

"2000 was a bad year as far as accidents and calamities are concerned," said the NDCC, adding that the year's figures bested records of incidents from 1998 to 1999. There were 10 destructive typhoons in 2000, compared to eight in 1999, and four in 1998.

There was one volcanic eruption in Mayon, Bicol region, which displaced 68,426 people last February 24. An earthquake in Batanes injured 14 people and displaced 8,992 families last July 16.

A refuse slide in Payatas in suburban Quezon City killed 224 and injured 38 on July 10. In 1998, there were 18 cyclones, 10 of which were destructive and killed 343 people, injured 373 others, with nine missing and affecting 50 of the country's 75 provinces and 1.4 families, or 7.2 million people, the whole year round.

In 2000, there were 41 flashfloods compared with 38 in 1999, and 10 in 1998. Also in 2000, 17 landslides occurred, compared with 12 in 1999, and three in 1998.

There were eight air disasters in 2000. Philippine Airlines suffered one major crash at the Samal Island in Davao, Mindanao, on April 19. There were two other fatal crashes involving a Cessna plane on May 26, with four dead; and a Noman plane in Palawn, southern Philippines, with 11 dead, on July 2.

There was one major maritime accident last April 12. But there were 12 maritime accidents the whole year, compared with 10 in 1999, and four in 1998.

There were 87 fires, all of which occurred during summer. There were also 14 tornado occurrences. Despite the high number of incidents, the total cost of damage was pegged at $192 million (P9.6 billion) in 2000, less than in the previous year. The highest was $554 million (P27.7 billion) in 1998.

To add insult to injury, economists are predicting a bad start to the new millennium and have warned that the country could slip into a recession unless the political scandal centreing on Estrada is settled swiftly.