Framing Heatwave as a Disaster: A Content Analysis of Heatwave Coverage in Digital Broadsheets

This study investigates how a heatwave is framed as a disaster among major digital broadsheets in the Philippines. Through a descriptive research design combining both qualitative and quantitative content analysis, this research systematically examined 312 news articles spanning from January to April during which heatwaves occurred in the research locale. Quantitative data was analyzed to identify frequency and patterns, while qualitative analysis provided deeper insights into the narratives and framing strategies. A purposive sampling, coding, and categorization of news articles were conducted to understand the portrayal of heatwave effects, the framing techniques employed by the journalists, the active forces involved in addressing the phenomenon, and the demographics of those most affected. The study revealed that major broadsheets highlighted the economic cost of the disaster with the heatwave events framed in terms of economic implications, including impacts on industries such as agriculture and energy sectors. Additionally, this study underscored the Department of Agriculture as the most active force and identified farmers and the fisherfolk as the groups most affected by the disaster, as the heatwaves directly threaten crop yields and livelihoods of those in the sector. Finally, this study provides insights into the media’s role in shaping public perception of the heatwave, a phenomenon underrepresented in disaster communication research, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of its socio-economic implications and advocating for balanced media representation as a means to mitigate its impacts.