12

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction

Quarter 1 – Module 1
Concepts of Disaster
Science– Grade 12
Quarter 1 – Module X: Momentum

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any work of the
Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government agency or office wherein
the work is created shall be necessary for exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office
may, among other things, impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand names, trademarks,
etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective copyright holders. Every effort has been
exerted to locate and seek permission to use these materials from their respective copyright
owners. The publisher and authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Roderico D. Duka

Editors:

Reviewers:

Illustrator:

Layout Artist:
 Week 8

Explain the meaning of disaster

(DRR11/12-Ia-b-1)

Differentiate the risk factors

underlying disasters
(DRR11/12-Ia-b-2)
 Supplementary Learning Module for Senior High School Learners

CONCEPTS OF DISASTER

Natural disasters in the Philippines have long been a

part of the country’s history. The Philippines sits
within the Pacific Ring of Fire, where its horseshoe
shape engulfs an area of 40,000 kilometers, and its
basin in the Pacific Ocean are prone to a lot of
earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Understanding
this facts may lead to a safer community

This module focuses in the understanding about

disasters, particularly natural and man-made
disasters. This will give you the ideas why
disaster is common to our country.
So, just relax and enjoy your first self-learning
module in Disaster Readiness and Risk
Reduction (DRRR). I am here to guide as you
read, answer activities that this module in store
for you.

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

 Differentiate hazard from disaster;

 Identify factors that leads to a disaster
 Examine events that have led to a disaster; and
 Analyze the factors underlying disaster risk
Directions: Answer the following questions.

1. It is define as a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition

that may cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property damage, loss
of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental
damage.
a. disaster b. hazard c. risk
2. A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving
widespread human, material, economic, or environmental losses and impacts
which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its
own resources.
a. Disaster b. hazard c. risk
3. It refers to the factor pertaining to tangible objects or infrastructure, like the
availability of fire exits, or the sturdiness of the building, or the presence or
absence of objects that can harm you or help you, etc.
a. Biological b. physical c. political
4. This factor includes state of mental capacity and health (e.g. are we dealing with
babies? Kids? Adults? People with special needs?), perception of self (e.g. self-
assessment of capability to respond to disasters, fear), etc
a. Physical b. Psychological c. Political
5. Which of the following examples given below refer to a socio-cultural risk factor?
a. Fire exits b. diplomatic issues c. traditions

Hi! How did you find the test?

Please check your answers at the answer key section and
see how you did. Don’t worry if you got a low score, this
just means that there are more things that you can learn
from this module.
You can check your answer as you browse and
study this module.
 ELICIT

Vanuatu is the world’s most at-risk country for natural hazards, according to a UN
University World RiskIndex. And it’s not just storms, earthquakes, volcanoes or tsunamis
that are the Problem.

Some saw it coming: For four years running, Vanuatu has been ranked the world’s most
disaster-prone country in an annual WorldRiskReport published by the United Nations
University’s Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-EHS).

The country’s 2014 ranking of 36.5 percentage points places the country well ahead of
second place Philippines (28.3), as well as South Pacific neighbor Tonga (28.2), or
Guatemala (21). Germany, by comparison, ranks 147th at 3 percentage points, with Qatar
last (or best, in this case) at .08 percentage points. The industrialized world’s most at-risk
nation (17th place) is Japan, at 13 percentage points .

But just what is it that makes life on Vanuatu so dangerous?

https://www.dw.com/en/exposed-why-vanuatu-is-the-worlds-most-at-risk country-for-natural-
hazards/a-18319825
 To arrive at Vanuatu's overall WorldRiskIndex
number of 36.5 percentage points, the UN
University researchers took the number of citizens
potentially exposed to natural hazards and
multiplied it by an overall "vulnerability" - an average
based on susceptibility, lack of coping capacities
and a lack of adaptive capacities.
Birkmann cites Japan as an example.

"Japan is highly exposed with the number of people

exposed to earthquakes, but disaster risk is lower
due to a higher level of preparedness with regard to
building codes and infrastructure there," he says.
"The question of whether an extreme impact is a
catastrophe heavily depends on the vulnerability."

ENGAGE
Situational Analysis:
So, let us now differentiate
hazard from disaster and find out
why there are areas that are
prone to disaster/hazards and
there are areas which are not.

Concept Cartoon
The illustration below shows the difference between hazard
and disaster.
 Figure 1: Hazard vs. Disaster

Guide Questions:
1. What can you say about the two illustrations?
2. In your own idea based on the illustrations define the words hazards and
disaster?

HAZARD VS DISASTER

In this activity you will identify the hazard and

disaster shown in the comics below>

ACTIVITY 1: Identifying Hazard and Disaster

 Figure 2: Identifying hazards and disaster

Hazard Disaster

ACTIVITY 2:

Figure 3: Areas exposed to hazard.

1. Using the equation for risk, supply with the elements/indicators based on the comics
strip given above. Complete the 3 equations below. Example is given for you.
Risk = Exposure to natural or man-made hazards x vulnerability

Disaster Risk = fire X squatter area

Disaster Risk = ___________?__________ X ___________?___________

Disaster Risk = ___________?__________ X ___________?___________

Disaster Risk = ___________?__________ X ___________?___________

 Take note: The equation for risk when
applied to disasters becomes:

Disaster Risk = Exposure to natural or man-

made hazards x vulnerability
Summarized as “Disasters are often described
as a result of the combination of:
 The exposure to a hazard;
 The conditions of vulnerability that are
present, and;
 Insufficient capacity or measures to
reduce or cope with
 the potential negative consequences.”

ACTIVITY 3:
Examine the pictures below and describe the situation in one (1) sentence. Determine what
whether the risk factor is falls under: climate change, poverty and inequality,
environmental degradation, globalize economic development, weak governance and
poor planned and managed urban development.
1. 2. 3.

4 5 6

7 8 9
 Congratulations for performing the activities.
I hope you enjoyed it and learn the concepts behind the
words hazards and disasters.
Did you try to look on the relationship between disasters
and it underlying effects in Activity 3?
Let’s find out.

EXPLAIN

Vulnerability - A condition or set of prevailing and consequential conditions – physical,

social, economic, and attitudinal – which adversely affect the community residents’ ability to
prepare for, withstand and / or respond to a hazard

Capacity/ Capacities are those positive conditions or abilities which increase the capability
of an element to deal with the hazards and their effects.

Hazard X Vulnerability = Risk

Risk is the exposure or the chance of loss (of lives, persons injured, property
damaged and economic activity disrupted) due to a particular hazard for a given area
and time or period. Hazard X Vulnerability = Risk

Hazard X Vulnerability X Capacity = Risk Reduction

Risk Reduction - Risk is the exposure or the chance of loss (of lives, persons injured,
property damaged and economic activity disrupted) due to a particular hazard for a
given area and time or period
 .
Figure 4: Relationship among hazard, disaster and vulnerability

Processes or conditions, often development-related, influence the level of disaster

risk by increasing levels of exposure and vulnerability or reducing capacity.

Disaster Risk factors are variables that either aggravate or mitigate the effects of hazards,
affecting the degree or scope of a disaster.

1. Climate Change

Climate change can increase disaster risk in a variety of ways – by altering the
frequency and intensity of hazards events, affecting vulnerability to hazards, and
changing exposure patterns.

2. Environmental Degradation

It is both a driver and consequence of disasters, reducing the capacity of the

environment to meet social and ecological needs.

3. Globalized Economic Development

It resulted in increased polarization between the rich and poor on a global scale.
 4. Poverty and Inequality

Poverty is both a driver and consequence of disasters, and the processes that further
disaster risk related poverty are permeated with inequality.

5. Poorly-planned and Managed Urban Development

A new wave of urbanization is unfolding in hazard-exposed countries and with it, new
opportunities for resilient investment emerge.

6. Weak Governance

Weak governance zones are investment environments in which public sector actors
are unable or unwilling to assume their roles and responsibilities in protecting rights,
providing basic services and public services.

ELABORATE

Let’s take a look at this statistic below.

Top 3 countries in terms of Disaster Risk, from the World Risk Report 2015 published by
Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft (Alliance Development Works) (http://www.worldriskreport.org/)

Data on geography, area, and population from CIA The World Fact Book
(https://www.cia.gov/ library/publications/the-world-factbook/)

RANK 1 2 3

COUNTRY VANUATU TONGA PHILIPPINES

80+ island nation in 160+ island nation in 7,100+ island nation

GEOGRPAHY the south Pacific the south Pacific in the west Pacific
Ocean Ocean Ocean

TOTAL AREA
(LAND AND 12,189 sq km 747 sq km 300,000 sq km
WATER)

272,264 urban 106,501 urban 100,998,376 urban

POPULATION
population: 26.1% population: 23.7% population: 44.4%
T
Table 2: Top 3 Countries in terms of Disaster Risk
ACTIVITY 4:
Pre-Activity:
1. Build a representation of Vanuatu, Tonga, and Philippines using the building blocks
in very rough proportion to the given facts, meaning that a country with more islands
should be represented by more blocks and the size and distribution by the actual
layout of the blocks. The maximum size for the Philippines should fit an A4-sized
sheet. Mark capital areas of each country with a single color block (e.g. red blocks
for capital cities and urbanized areas). Allow them to use a world atlas as reference
to the geography and size.

2. Take note of the total number of blocks used.

3. The flat disk represents a typhoon. You are going to simulate a scenario where a
typhoon ravages each country. To do this, you will let the disc pass through each
country slowly according to previous typhoons’ tracks.

(Note: Make sure to record a video while you do the step no. 3 and submit it together
with this module)

Post Activity

After or while doing the simulation, answer the following questions in your activity notebook:

1. What are the assumptions made by doing this simulation compared to reality?
2. What is exposure? After the simulated typhoon, how many percent of each country
was impacted by the hazard?
3. How would you compare the simulated effects of typhoons for each of the country
models? What are the similarities? What are the differences?
4. How do these scenarios reflect actual disaster risk? What is vulnerability and are or
are not included?

Rubrics for scoring:

Evaluation 4 3 2 1

The learners The learners The learners

made a made a made part of the
The learners
complete model complete model model as
were not able to
and typhoon and typhoon instructed, but
DISASTER create a model.
track was track was lacks
SIMULATION
accurate; accurate. consideration for
simulation was aspects like
well organized. scale and
geography.

Learner Learner Learner Learner did not

ANSWERS TO answered answered answered answer the
QUESTIONS questions and questions and questions, but questions.
was able to was able to was not able to
define exposure define exposure define factors of
 and vulnerability and vulnerability exposure and/or
and cite vulnerability.
examples

Congratulations for the job well done. Thank you for

making a very good start. There’s a lot more to go and I
hope you’d be able to sustain your enthusiasm in
studying even without me beside you.

This is a part of the “new normal” in education but as I

have said, Filipinos are very resilient in terms of disasters
just like this Covid 19 pandemic.

EVALUATE

A. Multiple choices: Select the correct answer.

1. Disasters are often described as a result of the combination of:

i. The exposure to a hazard;
ii. The conditions of vulnerability that are present,
iii. Insufficient capacity or measures to reduce or cope with the potential
negative consequences.”
A. I and II C. I and III

B. II and III D. I, II and III

2. Vulnerabilities may be presents anywhere where the exposed element is
located. In rural area what is level of disaster risk of a community to a typhoon
compared to a community in urban area?
A. LOW C. HIGH

B. MODERATE D. VERY HIGH

3. It refers to the phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition that may

cause loss of life, injury or other health impacts, property to damage, loss of
livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption, or environmental
damage.
A. disaster C. EXPOSURE
B. HAZARD D. VULNERABILITIES

4. Marginalization, inequality, disability, age, social status, poverty and perception

of the society are examples of what factor underlying vulnerabilities to disaster
risk.
A. ECONOMIC C. POLITICAL
B. PSYCHOLOGICAL D. SOCIO-CULTURAL

5. The inability of the government to implement programs and projects that would
lessen the impacts of a disaster can be attributed to:
A. climate chance

B. Globalized Economic Development

C. Poorly-planned and Managed Urban Development

D. Weak governance

6. It increases disaster risk in a variety of ways – by altering the frequency and

intensity of hazards events, affecting vulnerability to hazards, and changing
exposure patterns.
A. climate chance

B. Globalized Economic Development

C. Poorly-planned and Managed Urban Development

D. Weak governance

7. Infrastructure projects of the government such as bridges and road under

“Build, Build and Build Agenda” are often resulted to poor quality because of
corruptions. This situation is a risk factor underlying disaster which is called
A. Globalized Economic Development

B. Poverty and Inequality

C. Poorly-planned and Managed Urban Development

D. Weak governance
 8. What is the relationship between exposure to hazard and vulnerabilities in the
equation for risk?
A. As the exposure increases, vulnerability increases

B. As exposure decreases, vulnerability increases

C. As exposure decreases, vulnerability increases

D. As exposure decreases, vulnerability decreases

9. What is/are the reasons why Vanuatu is considered as top 1 among the highly
at risk country in the world according to World Risk Report 2015?
A. poor political will C. topography

B. corruption D. all of the above

10. Which of the given situation illustrate disaster?

A. wet floor of hallway

B. objects on top of a cabinet

C. sprayed electrical wires

B. motorcycle bumped into a cart on the side walk

B. Essay (5 points)

1. How does your knowledge about concepts you learned in this module help you as
a student to be safe from a disaster?

EXTEND

Additional Readings/Study Aids:

A. Vanuatu – Typhoon Pam (2015) Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System.
(n.d.). Overall red tropical cyclone alert for pam-15in vanuatu from 09 mar 2015
12:00 utcto 15 mar 2015 12:00 utc. Retrieved from http://
www.gdacs.org/report.aspx?eventtype=TC&eventid=1000149
B. Tonga – Typhoon Ian (2014) European Commission. (n.d.). 13 January 2014: Tonga
– Tropical cyclone ian. Retrieved from
http://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/ECDM_20130113_Tonga_IAN.p
df
 C. Philippines – Typhoon Yolanda (2013) Panahon TV. (n.d.). Fig 1.1 Actual track vs.
Forecast track (2pm 07 nov 2013) of typhoon yolanda [Digital image]. Retrieved from
http://www.panahon.tv/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ actua_forecast_track.png

The following terms used in this module are defined as

follows:

Meaning
Terms

o Hazard is a dangerous situation or event that carries a threat to

humans

o Disaster is an event that actually harms humans and disrupts the

operations of society.

o Risk a situation involving exposure to danger.

o Vulnerability he quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being

attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.

 MELC in DRRR
 Teacher’s Guide
 United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
 https://knowledgenuts.com/difference-between-hazards-and-
disasters/#:~:text=In%20simple%20terms%2C%20a%20hazard,area%2C%20they%
20will%20remain%20hazards.
 https://www.undrr.org/terminology/underlying-disaster-risk-
drivers#:~:text=Annotation%3A%20Underlying%20disaster%20risk%20drivers,and%
20natural%20resource%20management%2C%20as