CO QAH + MELC LW

HANDOUT No. 3
Course Outline & Quality Assured
Handouts paired with MELC- in DISASTER READINESS AND RISK
Based Learner’s Worksheet REDUCTION

MELC:
7. Recognize vulnerabilities of different elements exposed to specific hazards
(DRRR11/12-Id-12)
8. Differentiate among hazards, exposure, and vulnerabilities and explain the Relationship of the
three to disaster risk (DRRR11/12-Id-13)

Semester: 2 Week No.3 Day: 1-4

LESSON: EXPOSURE AND VULNERABILITY

Disasters have devastating consequences. They cause death, injury, disease, the destruction of
property and other assets, mass displacement, social and economic disruption, loss of infrastructure and
other services, and damage to the environment. We can use disaster risk reduction and management to
understand risk and vulnerability, prevent a hazard from becoming a disaster, and mitigate its impact by
making people more resilient. This approaches learning about DRRR by first understanding the hazards
that may then potentially lead to disasters, as a common confusion arises from distinguishing the concepts
of “hazard and “disaster”. Each hazard type has its own precautionary measures and ideal responses to
prevent disasters. Towards the end of the subject, learners will focus on applications to the community and
the Philippine society.
As big part of understanding disasters involves projecting future possibilities, the success of
teaching the subject of Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction may not be immediately measurable and
definitely not something anyone is looking forward to test. But while the country is exposed to hazards that
can alter the course of everyday life, bringing this subject to each classroom gives the people the power to
take control of their lives and nation-building in whatever the situation they may encounter in the future. The
learner will realize that recognizing the vulnerabilities of different elements exposed to hazard will help the
community design to formulate strategies on prevention, mitigation, and immediate response and possible
rehabilitations after a major event such as natural disasters, war and the other similar situations.
At the end of the lesson, you will be able to recognize vulnerabilities of different element exposed to
hazards and be able to differentiate vulnerabilities and its relationship to disaster risk.

Topic 1: Elements Exposed to Risk

Elements exposed to risk pertain to anything which are susceptible persons or properties to the
danger brought by any disaster.
Some of the elements exposed to risk where identified by Cardona and Aalst in their study,
“Determinants of Risk: Exposure and Vulnerability.” The identified elements include: the local populations,
buildings, and bridges and other infrastructures, public services, and utilities which are exposed in the area.

The different elements exposed to risk are the following:

A. Physical Elements

These elements comprises aspects of geography, location, place, and physical structures like
infrastructures.
As to geography, location and place, researches show that developing countries face a greater impact
on disaster than developed countries due to the number of population, human health, public services,
quality of infrastructures and others.
Infrastructures are likewise vulnerable
elements exposed to hazards. Some
infrastructures in the Philippines which are
vulnerable to the impact of hazards and risk.
1. Buildings

This photo was taken by Juan Carlo de

1
Vela and retrieved at www.mb.com.ph. According to de Vela, this building needs urgent retrofitting as it is
found to be earthquake-vulnerable. Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also
agreed to this observation.

https://bit.ly/37MKoZO

2. Bridges

Picture shows the destroyed Abatan Bridge

in Bohol. This is one of the damages caused by
a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in October 16,
2013 which resulted the death of 144 people.

https://bit.ly/2VXu8iO

3. Houses
Some houses are built based on cost-affectivity with little concern on disaster safety.

Here are some tips in building disaster-safe houses

a. Consult engineers and architects.
Engineers and architects are the best person who may determine the safely of your houses as to
construction and design. For instance, some engineers would say that four-sided slope roof of a house is
the safest and that canopies or eaves should be avoided.

b. Install disaster-resistant designs in your houses

The use of storm shutters is advised by some engineers. Storm shutters are usually made up of thin sheets
of metal which are placed in front of glass windows and doors to mitigate the effect of strong winds and rain
during typhoon and other disasters.

c. Use the right materials

In building houses, do not tighten the budget by sacrificing the quality of materials needed during
construction. You may save money but the life of the family may be endangered.

d. Identify the right location for your home

Do not build your house on landslide-prone and flood-prone areas. Remember that the safety of your family
is the primordial concern.

B. Social Elements – Social elements include demography, social groups, and health and well-being
1. Demography – Pertains to the diversity of people in the community as to age, gender, health and others.
The different types of people that composes entirety of the population affects the extent of susceptibility to
disasters. Certain groups may be in danger than others. For example, the very young and old are more
vulnerable to extreme heat and cold. Women are also more
vulnerable than men because they are considered to be the weaker sex. Children are definitely more
vulnerable the adult because of their incapacity to decide and take care of themselves especially in times of
disasters.

2. Social Groups – Social groups exposed to hazards include tourist ethnic groups, sports enthusiasts,
groups by reason of their profession and women and children who were not trained and equipped to fight
and mitigate effects of disasters.

3. Health and well-being – Health and well-being in the aspect of disaster vulnerability refers to body
defences and the physical capacity of the person to cope with the effect of disasters. People who are sick
are more susceptible to disasters than the healthy ones. Pregnant women and their foetuses and infants
are high-risk groups, especially in contexts where there are high risks of infectious and parasitic diseases
and under-nutrition.

C. Economic Elements – are those that belong to the public and private sectors whose businesses may
be affected by disasters as they are exposed to hazards. These elements, once exposed to hazards are
vulnerable to losses, indebtedness, production loss, and others. People whose work and livelihood are
exposed to hazard will also have direct effect to the economy.

D. Environmental elements – In the concepts of disasters and hazards, environmental elements pertain to
2
the natural resources or the misuse of public lands and waterways. Environmental elements exposed to
hazards are the following:
1. Low-lying islands
2. Coastal zones
3. Mountainous regions
4. Occupancy on waterway
Topic 2: Vulnerability and Risk

Vulnerability is the characteristic of a community as being susceptible or prone to hazard or disasters.

Vulnerability is due to several characteristics or conditions. Some vulnerability includes physical, social,
economic, and environmental factors. Vulnerability of certain element is not permanent. The risk factor may
change depending on how the element cope with the changes in the environment for its own safety.
For instance, those living in a low-lying community which is always prone to flooding may reduce its
vulnerability when they change their residence to higher grounds.

Classifications of Vulnerabilities

There are different classification of vulnerabilities. These are the following:

1. Physical Vulnerability. It pertains to physical aspect of the community, the people and the
infrastructure. Physical aspects of the community may pertain to the location of the community. Those who
are low-lying areas are more vulnerable to flood while those located on mountainous areas are more
vulnerable to landslides.
Physical aspect of the people may pertain to demographic profile of the people living on a certain
community. For instance, a community which composes of a diversed young, old, and sick are more
vulnerable than other communities.
Physical vulnerability of infrastructures may pertain to the type of houses, building, compositions of
bridges and buildings, and others.
When hazardous events occur, normally physical elements are severely damaged. For example, UP
Visayas buildings were totally destroyed during the super typhoon Yolanda in 2013 leaving the structure
totally damaged. Another example is the decreased in population density like what happened in Baguio
during the 1990 earthquake in North Luzon when a lot of people were injured and died.

2. Social Vulnerability is the incapability of the community to survive the hostile effects of threats of
disasters. Social vulnerability may be due to the principles and beliefs of the people in a certain locality. It
includes aspect related to:
a. awareness of the people to disasters
b. the existence of emergency preparedness plan
c. access to basic social services
d. customs and traditions
e. leadership of government officials
f. optimism in life

Social vulnerability happens due to inability of people, organization, and societies to prevent severe
effects from hazards because of the expected behavior in social interactions, institutions, and system of
cultural values.

For example, during typhoon the line of communications were cut off when cell sites shutdown or
disruption of transport system due to inability of small vehicles to pass through the flooded areas or
unpassable roads and bridges. With some difficulties in the delivery of services such as relief goods and
medicines, a lot of problems occurred like shortage of food and spread of infectious diseases. Therefore,
when social elements were exposed to hazard, these may lead to disruption of normal processes and
activities in the community.

3. Economic Vulnerability These may be associated with the financial status of a person to stay in a safer
place and build a safer home. It could be drawn in that poor people are more vulnerable to the impact of
disaster because of their incapacity to sustain a better place to stay,live and build a family. The poor may
choose to stay along coastal areas, squatters, and bridges which makes them more susceptible to
disasters.

Countries which are not economically progressive are also more vulnerable to disasters. Economic
instability may result to low standard of infrastructures, emergency equipment, supplies, and reliefs. Level
of economic vulnerability is based on economic status of individuals, communities and nations. The poorer
the country, the more vulnerable to disasters because they lack the funds or budgets to build sturdy
structures and put other engineering measures in place which protect them from being affected by
disasters. So we can say that Philippines is more vulnerable to an event such as earthquake compared to
3
Japan.

Though both countries are exposed to earthquake hazard because both are located in the Pacific
ring of fire, but due to differences in economic status, Japan is more resilient because of its ability to afford
changes in architectural and engineering designs of building and infrastructures to make them less
vulnerable to earthquake. Another example is the Covid-19 pandemic wherein the most affected are those
who belong to low income and informal workers.

Social and economic vulnerability can be combined also known as socioeconomic vulnerability.

4. Environmental Vulnerability. Even our environment and natural resources are also vulnerable to
disasters. For instance, our forests are vulnerable to wildfires brought by human negligence or by lighting.
Mountains may also erode to heavy rains, and the depth of our ocean may be affected by seiche.

Environmental vulnerability is caused by natural resources depletion and destruction. Organism like
humans, animals and plants are all dependent on the environment for survival. Human activities like
deforestation, burning of fossil fuels, and kaingin affect the natural abilities of the environment to protect
itself from any natural hazard due to absence of trees which may cause landslide and flashfloods.
Sometimes the effects are irreversible.

Quantifying vulnerability is used in estimating how much mitigation and preparedness measures will be
applied. Computation is based on the previous hazard events and severity of their effects. Vulnerability can
be expressed as: 0 = lowest degree of vulnerability and 1 as the highest degree. Vulnerability of people is
the ratio of casualties or injured to the total population. Vulnerability of buildings is expressed as a repair
cost or degree of damage.

The Philippines has high vulnerability due to the following reasons:

 It lies in the pacific typhoon belt and we are visited by an avarage of 20 typhoons every year
 Rugged nature of the landscape makes it vulnerable to landslide, mudflows, and other disasters.
 It is an archipelagic country with many small islands where some areas are at below sea level.
 It has the longest shoreline in the world at 32, 400 km making it vulnerable to storm surges.
 It is still a primary agricultural and fishing economy.
 With poor institutional and social capacity to manage, respond, and recover from natural hazard
events.
 With high level of poverty
 Aside from typhoon, it is also at risk to volcanic eruptions, quakes, and floods

Topic 3: Risk

Risk is used interchangeably with hazard, However, in the field of disaster management, risk is
different from hazard. Risk is the product of hazard and vulnerability. It is simplified by the formula:
Hazard x Vulnerability = Risk
The equation means that risk is the product of the probability hazard and the degree of vulnerability.
The increase of either of the two factors will “risk” as the product. Thus as probability of hazard increases,
so does the risk increases. Further, as the degree of vulnerability increases, so does risk also increase.

How to deal with risk?

There are several ways on how to deal with risk. Here are some instances:
1. Risk Identification
At home, in the workplace, in school or anywhere we go, we should be able to determine possible risk
factors like the branch of a tree which may possibly fall, a pen manhole along the street, electric wires
which may possibly be a source of short circuit, and others.

2. Risk Classification
All risk must be identified as minor or major risk. By classifying risk, we may be able to prioritize which of
the risk shall be addressed first.

3. Risk Acceptance
Acknowledge the presence of risk and start planning on how to deal with it.
Example:
A house built under the bridge is vulnerable to disaster. The owner of the house must accept this fact in
order to come up with measures to reduce the risk. Some measures may include the transfer of house
relocation or evacuation even without warnings during a torrential rain.

4. Risk Avoidance
4
Prevent the development of risk into hazard.
Example:
When an area is already declared by concerned authorities to be vulnerable to risk like earthquake or
landslide, one must never build structures there anymore. This is simply avoidance.

5. Risk Reduction
Lessen the hazard that may posed by the presence of risk

Example:
Illegal mining must be strongly enforced in identified places to reduce the occurrence of sinkholes,
landslides, and flashfloods.

6. Risk Transfer
This pertains to the assignment of burden to third party like insurance companies.
Example:
Afraid that your investment like buildings and houses may be ruined by fire, you may apply the same for a
fire insurance. This is the most common type of non-life insurance in the country.

Topic 4: Vulnerability of Exposed Elements

I. Vulnerability of Physical Elements

Physical vulnerability includes those which are actually built in the environment vulnerable to disasters.
Physical elements include infrastructures like buildings, houses, roads, and bridges. One of the ways
to reduce vulnerability of physical elements is to place. For instance, roads may not be built along the
mountainous areas to avoid erosion or possibly being damaged by landslides.
The Physical component of a community also affects its vulnerability.

The physical component in the community consists of:

1. Natural features of the place and weather
To understand further the effects of geography and climate in connection with disasters, the following
examples are given:
a. Batanes Islands in the Philippines, considering its location is often hit by typhoons entering the Philippine
area of responsibility.
b. The community on the foot of Mt. Mayon refused to leave the place because the fertility of the soil
improves the amount of harvest of their crops.
c. Farmers plant their crops in the floodplain are as long Cagayan River because these areas have plentiful
access to nearby water, the land tends to be level, and the frequently-flooded land tends to be rich in
nutrients.

2. Infrastructures
In the Philippines, the infrastructure component of the physical profile is influenced by building codes
and other laws. However, adherence to the legal provisions may not be observed due to some enforcement
problems or the bureaucracy of the government.

3. People
The population as part of vulnerable physical elements pertains not only to the number of people in a
certain community but also to the attitudes, characteristics, and capability of these people. For instance, a
community having their own firefighting equipment, knowledge and skills may be less vulnerable in case of
fire compared to those with little knowledge in firefighting.

II. Vulnerability of Social Elements

Social vulnerability pertains to the overall aspect of the society which is a combination of political,
cultural, and personal characteristics.
The behavior of people in a certain community has direct influence to social vulnerability. Social-
cultural factors which may affect the vulnerability to disasters include:

1. The intervention of mass media

Internet, television and radio broadcasting play vital roles in information dissemination during
typhoon, volcanic eruption, landslides, and others.

Social factors affecting vulnerability with regard to these includes the used of available resources.
For instance, project Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazard (NOAH) is one of the resources
prepared by the government through the Department of Science and Technology. This predicts floods,
rainfall warning, and possibility of landslides. However, the social problem in relation to this project is the
inability of most Filipinos to access the same information due to lack of knowledge in using the computer
and specifically, this program.
5
2. Trust to the government
Before typhoon Yolanda entered the Philippine area of responsibility, the President of the Republic
already warned the Filipinos about its possible effect. However, the people mistrust the government and
underestimated the effects of storm surge. This mistrust lead to the death of thousands of Filipinos and the
damage to billion worth of properties.

3. Reliance of governmental agencies like the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management
(PDRRMC) of each province.
This agency is one of the most active office before, during, and after a disaster. However, when they
warn people to evacuate, some refuse to do so, thinking that the agency is only somewhat exaggerating in
their predictions. Some think that the agency is not a reliant one.
In order to fully understand the factors affecting social vulnerability of a community, consider the
following:
A. Type of community – those living in subdivision are better off financially than others thus, they are more
capable in reducing the risk of disasters.

B. The composition of community – the very old and weak and the very young, including pregnant
women, must be identified and their safety must be given priority due to their incapability to protect and
save themselves.

C. Housing structures – type of housing must be identified so as to determine the vulnerability of the
community.

III. Vulnerability of Environmental Elements

Environmental vulnerability pertains to the physical aspects of the environment which may be at risk
to the occurrence of disasters.
Our forest, mountains, and seas are also considered as vulnerable elements of disasters. The earth in its
entirety is in distress due to global warming and climate change.
Environmental factors may reduce or increase the risk of disasters. Islands for instance, may reduce
the impact of storm surge or tsunami. Mountainous regions on the other hand may mitigate the devastating
effects of floods. However, the capability of the environment to reduce the impact of disasters are reduced
by:

1. Poor environmental practices like:

i. Illegal Logging
The susceptibility of low lying areas to flashfloods may also be increased by continuous illegal logging
activities in the area.
ii. Dynamite fishing

This activity destroys corals which may be helpful in reducing the hazard brought by disasters.
iii. Illegal Mining Activities

In the Philippines, vulnerability to landslides may be brought by continuous illegal mining activity in our
mountains.

2. Pollution
i. Water pollution that destroys the environment of our bodies of water
ii. Soil pollution that degrades the quality of our lands.

3. Lack of urban planning that leads to the destruction of our seas and mountains

IV. Vulnerability of Economic Elements

Economic elements may pertain to small, medium, and large enterprises that provides job and
manufactured products. These elements are likewise vulnerable to disasters. In times of natural calamities,
their products may be damaged, production may be lessened and so supply will be affected. There are also
instances wherein disaster can lead to loss of job or loss of the business.
To understand the concept of vulnerability of economic elements, we must consider the question.
“Are we financially capable to reduce the risk of disasters and ultimately cope with its effects?”

REFERENCES

Asian Disaster preparedness Center. 2012. Urban Disaster Risk

6
Commission on Higher Education. Teaching Guide for Readiness and Risk Reduction. 2016

Desire G. Estrada, Ph. D., Disasters: What you should know and What you should do,St. Augustine
Publications, Inc. and Desire G. Estrada, 2016

“Displaced Population in Philippines.” 2011. Google.com.2011. https://bit.ly/3qla1TU

Inquirer.net. 2019. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/files/2019/01/08samar.jpg

“Kids Involved in Disaster Philippines” 2011. Google.com.2011. https://bit.ly/3qu27xA

Management:: A Practitioners’ Handbook. Bangkok, Thailand.

Mylene D. G. Oliva. Diwa Senior High School Series: Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction Module,
Philippines, Diwa Learning System, Inc.

Quebral, Villamor. Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction for senior High School. Quezon City: LORIMAR
Publishing Inc, 2016

Villamor S. Quebral, Ed. D., Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction for Senior High School, Philippines,
Lorimar Publishing Inc., 2016

7
 CO QAH + MELC LW
LEARNING WORKSHEET No. 3
Course Outline & Quality Assured Handouts paired with MELC- in DISASTER READINESS AND
Based Learning Worksheet RISK REDUCTION

Name: _________________________________ Grade & Section: _________________________

Teacher: _______________________________ Date Submitted: __________________________

MELC 7: Recognize vulnerabilities of different elements exposed to specific hazard s.

(DRRR11/12-Id-12)

Topic 1: Elements Exposed to Risk

Semester: 2 Week No. 3 Day: 1 – 4

Worksheet No. 1.1 Title: Classifying Vulnerability Day: 1

A. Directions: Classify the following phrases and sentences whether it is PHYSICAL,

SOCIOECONOMICAL OR ENVIRONMENTAL VULNERABILITY. Write your answer in its proper column.
Fill out the table below using the given phrases and sentences.
1. Shutdown of telecommunication tower
2. Houses built near fault lines
3. Denudation of forests
4. Rest houses near Boracay shoreline
5. Twenty-story building constructed on soil mainly made up of clay.
6. Bridges with cracks and crevices
7. Over fertilization of agricultural soil
8. Lost of job due to COVID-19 pandemic.
9. Possible retrenchment of ABS CBN employees due to its shutdown
10. Destruction of coral reefs that serves as barriers against storm surge

PHYSICAL SOCIOECONOMICAL ENVIRONMENTAL

VULNERABILITY VULNERABILITY VULNERABILITY

8
MELC 7: Recognize vulnerabilities of different elements exposed to specific hazards
(DRRR11/12-Id-12)

Topic 2: Vulnerability and Risk

Worksheet No. 1.2 Title : Vulnerabilities of Different Elements Day: 2

Directions: Read each statement carefully and identify the terms, words, or phrases pertaining to each
statement. Write your answers on the space provided.

1. These are elements exposed to hazards which comprises aspects of geography, location, place, and
physical structure like infrastructure.
Answer: ____________________________

2. These are elements exposed to hazards which include demography, social groups, and health and well-
being.
Answer______________________________

3. It is defined as a measure of the propensity of an object, area, individual, group, community, country, or
other entity to incur the consequences of hazard.
Answer______________________________

4. As to classification of vulnerability, wooden homes are considered as:

Answer _____________________________

5. Children, elderly, and indifferently-abled, may be unable to protect themselves or evacuate if necessary in
times of disaster. As to vulnerability, they are classified as:
Answer ______________________________

6. This refers to potential disaster losses which could occur in a particular community or a society over some
specified future time period.
Answer ______________________________

7. This vulnerability generally involves what in the built environment is physically at risk of being affected by
disaster.
Answer _____________________________

8. Poor environmental practices such as deforestation, a lack of land-use planning, or management of

hazardous materials are examples of:
Answer _____________________________

9. It is the science that deals with the study of population including the people’s births, diseases, marriages,
and others.
Answer ______________________________

10. What kind of vulnerability is mitigated in considering jobs, small businesses, production, and supplies in
the community?
Answer ______________________________

MELC 8 : Differentiate among hazards, exposure, and vulnerabilities and explain the relationship of the
three to disaster risk (DRRR11/12-Id-13)
Topic 3: Risk
Topic 4: Vulnerability and Exposed Elements

Worksheet No. 2 Title: Risk, Vulnerability, and Exposed Elements Day: 3 & 4

9
Directions: Roam around your house vicinity. List down elements in your home that are exposed to hazards
write it in the table. Then, answer the following questions below.

ELEMENTS IN YOUR HOME THAT ARE EXPOSED TO HAZARDS

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

10
 6.
7
8.
9
10.

A. What makes these elements vulnerable to hazards?

______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

B. Compare and contrast about hazards, exposure, and vulnerabilities

______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________

C. What recommendation/s could you provide to reduce the vulnerability of the identified elements exposed
to hazards in your home?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Prepared by: DULCE LUATON-MONTANO

11