Social Impacts of Floods in the Pampanga River Basin: An Analysis from the Perspective of the SDGs

The Philippines is highly vulnerable to natural disasters, with recurrent flooding posing persistent threats to livelihoods and sustainable development. This study examines the socio-economic impacts of flooding in the Pampanga River Basin using an analytical framework based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A household survey of 400 respondents was conducted in eight barangays of Candaba Municipality between June and July 2024. The analysis explores residents’ perceptions of flood risk, housing and farmland damage, and the socio-economic impacts of Typhoon Karding (September 2022). Results indicate substantial household burdens, including increased expenses and debt, as well as significant effects on quality of life and the water–food–energy nexus. These impacts operate as cascading effects across interconnected SDG-related domains rather than as isolated outcomes. Statistical analyses (correlation and one-way ANOVA) show that prolonged inundation (more than five days) significantly increases food shortages, livestock deterioration, debt accumulation, and difficulties in accessing education and healthcare. Inundation exceeding this duration thus emerges as a critical threshold amplifying multidimensional vulnerability. The findings demonstrate that disaster impacts extend beyond physical damage, undermining livelihoods and social functions. By applying the SDGs as an analytical lens, this study provides empirical evidence of how flood impacts propagate across sustainability-related domains at the household level. Policy implications highlight the need to integrate disaster risk reduction with livelihood recovery and to promote inclusive, community-based approaches to resilience.