A/HRC/4/105 Page 15 established the system of refugee examination counsellors aimed at enhancing the fairness and neutrality of refugee status recognition procedures. If the applicants for refugee status are female or children, careful consideration is given to their situation in light of their circumstances. In particular, if an applicant is female, a female official will take charge of the examination as far as possible. Lebanon 65. The Government of Lebanon responded to the request for information in a communication dated 13 February 2007. It reported that mass exoduses in Lebanon are related to: internal displacements brought about by the wars that have ravaged the country; people who have left the country as a result of the last conflict; and the Palestinian refugees who sought refuge in Lebanon in 1948. 66. The Government referred to the fact that about two million people were displaced during the last war, among whom were 180,000 foreigners who returned to their countries of origin. 67. The Lebanese authorities also stated that, at this stage, Lebanon could not ratify the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. Philippines 68. In its response dated 6 February 2007, the Government reported that in the Philippines, the displacement of individuals, families and communities is due to a number of factors: natural disasters, man-made disasters and development-related projects. 69. In regard to natural disasters, from 2005 to 2006, the Department of Social Welfare and Development - Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Centre (DSWDDROMIC) documented 535,205 individuals who took refuge in evacuation centres due to typhoons alone. Flooding also caused the evacuation of 79,704 individuals to designated centres in their respective local government units. Landslides forced 5,011 individuals to abandon their homes, while eruptions of the Mayon Volcano and Mount Bulusan in 2006 also forced 46,754 individuals to evacuate. 70. In addition, the authorities reported that the Philippines is host to two of the longest-running armed conflicts in the world, while counter-insurgency operations and terrorism related activities also remain a cause of internal displacement. In 2005 and 2006, DSWD-DROMIC reported that 92,334 individuals were driven from their homes to evacuation centres due to armed conflict. Fire incidents also led to more than 12,000 families seeking refuge in evacuation centres in 2005 and 2006. The oil spill resulting from the Petron-chartered oil tanker M/V Solar incident also caused 358 individuals to seek refuge in evacuation centres in the area. 71. Development projects like the expansion and rehabilitation of major railways also have unintended effects on the displacement of families and individuals. For example, the ManilaCalabarzon Express (MCX) Rail Project required the clearing of railroad tracks and the relocation of 600 informal family settlers from the Buli and Cupang Barangays in Muntinlupa City.