To add - what kills buildings there -
- Extreme humidity grows mold, rusts rebar and cracks concrete.
- Waterlogged soil cracks concrete pads, shifts foundations.
- Anay (super-termites) are hell on anything wooden and even chew through adobe (light volcanic rock).
Typhoons on Luzon at least (less frequent down south) can be expected 5-10 times a year - thats like having 5-10 hurricanes through Florida every year. The peak year as per Wiki was 1993 - 19 typhoons passed through the Philippines that year.
Message from friend in Davao City. She and her son were still in bed. Her son slept though it. She says it shook for a long time.
Rock eating termites... that has got to be a nightmare.