I.

Basic Concepts of Disaster and Disaster Risk

A. Philippines: Facts and Figures (See DRRM pdf file)

According to the Office of Civil Defense, the Philippines because of its geographical location, is
considered one of the most disaster- prone countries in the world. It lies along the western segment of
the Pacific Ring of Fire, a most active part of the Earth characterized by an ocean encircling belt of active
volcanoes and earthquake generators. The Philippines has approximately 400 volcanoes, of which 23 are
known to be currently active.
 
- The Philippines is situated at the junction of two large converging tectonic plates - the Pacific
plate and the Eurasian plate
- Tectonic plates are pieces of Earth's crust and uppermost mantle, together referred to
as the lithosphere. The plates are around 100 km (62 mi) thick and consist of two principal types
of material: oceanic crust (also called sima from silicon and magnesium) and continental
crust (sial from silicon and aluminium). 

- It has experienced the most destructive earthquake in July 1990 with a death toll of
approximately 1,666 and 12.2 billion pesos in damages.

- It lies in the path of turbulent typhoons, with an average of 20 typhoons crossing the Philippine
area of responsibility. The archipelagic nature of the Philippine coastal areas increases susceptibility to
storm surges, tsunamis and sea level changes.

- The country experiences floods and landslides which are common due to rains brought by
typhoons and monsoon. Located in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, the country is also vulnerable
to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The El Niño of 1997-98 induced drought and delayed the
onset of monsoon, which resulted to a scarcity in drinking water in urban areas and shortfalls in hydro-
electricity generation because of reduced water levels in major dams.

B. Metro Manila at a Glance (See DRRM pdf file)

- quick survey on the risk present in Manila
- MMEIRS Results of Study
Now you see how much our country is prone to a lot of disasters! Now that you are updated
with the current disaster situation of our country, it is time to ask ourselves, how prepared are we? How
does our country respond and manage these threats?
These common notions about how we view disaster are not flattering at all. In fact one expert in
disaster management cited that

“Disasters in developing countries were caused by people’s lack of knowledge of

natural hazards, absence of monitoring system, failure of warning system, weakness of
emergency preparedness, the disorganization of post –disaster management and lack of
security measures” (Berbilidin:1990)
 Prevention and preparedness need to be the cornerstone of any emergency plan. Anticipating
the level of damage supported by geographical information systems, early warning devices etc. are also
critical elements of a good disaster preparedness and mitigation plan. This has to be integrated with a
post-disaster assessment, which can be used to draw lessons for preparedness and mitigation.

C. Definition of Terms
DIASTER RISK
Hazard
Exposure
Vulnerability
Capacity
Risk
Disaster

1. HAZARD
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. (UNISDR (2009) (adapted by Philippines DRR Law, 2010):

1.1. TYPES OF HAZARD

A. NATURAL HAZARD
- Naturally-occurring physical phenomena caused either by slow or rapid onset events which can
be geophysical (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis and volcanic activity), hydrological (avalanches and
floods), climatological (extreme temperatures, drought and wildfires), meteorological (cyclones and
storms/wave surges) or biological (disease epidemics and insect/animal plagues).

B. MAN-MADE/HUMAN INDUCED HAZARD

Man-made or Human-induced hazards (complex emergencies/conflicts, famine, displaced
populations, industrial accidents and transport accidents) are events that are caused by humans and
occur in or close to human settlements. This can include environmental degradation, pollution and
accidents.

2. EXPOSURE
Refers to people, property, systems and other elements present in hazard zones that are
thereby subject to potential loss. (UNISDAR, 2009)

2.1. ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS

A. People, property, systems and other elements. Exposure involves specific elements which
we must be able to identify and give a name to. Elements may be tangible or intangible.
B. Present in hazard zones. Elements should be located within an area and duration of time
during which a specific hazard event or set of hazard events can occur.
 C. That are thereby subject to potential loss. Elements should have value or importance
assigned to them for it to be subject to potential loss.
3. VULNERABILITY
Defined as the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or asset that make it
susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard.

Factors of the community that allow a hazard to cause a disaster. Or the result of a number of
factors that increase the chances of a community being unable to cope with an emergency.

3.1. FACTORS THAT COULD AFFECT THE VULNERABILITY OF A COMMUNITY

(1) Physical factors would pertain 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.
- Access to suitable land, proper housing design, building materials and accessibility of
emergency services. Poor physical environment exposes people to hazards such as landslides, floods,
fires, wind, disease and epidemics.

(2) Psychological factors include 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.

(3) Socio-cultural factors include religion, social status, traditions, perception by society, etc.
- Level of education, training, safety and security, information and awareness, cultural
beliefs, traditional values contribute to social wellbeing II. Lack of awareness and access to information
can result in increase of vulnerability

(4) Economic factors include assets and liabilities, income, economic class, etc.
- Poverty has the single most important influence to vulnerability. Economic status also
relates to the capacity of a community to cope and recover from adverse effects. Poverty eradication
and creation of sustainable livelihoods are essential part of disaster risk reduction

(5) Political factors include government structure, diplomatic issues, etc.

- A community’s vulnerability can be linked to political will and commitment to
developmental concerns. Lack of access to resources, infrastructure, basic services and information can
increase vulnerability

(6) Biological/Environmental factors include flora and fauna in environment, health, diseases,
etc.
- Scarcity of resources in a community can reduce the coping solutions and recovery
from a disaster

4. CAPACITY
 Defined as the combination of all the strengths, attributes and resources available within a
community, society or organization that can be used to achieve agreed goals.
Capacity may include infrastructure and physical means, institutions, societal coping abilities, as
well as human knowledge, skills and collective attributes such as social relationships, leadership and
management.

5. RISK
The word “risk” has two connotations: in general usage the emphasis is usually placed on the
concept of chance or possibility on an event and its negative consequence, such as in “the risk of an
accident”; whereas in technical settings the emphasis is usually placed on the consequences, in terms of
“potential losses” for some particular cause, place and period.
The term disaster risk therefore refers to the potential (not actual) disaster losses, in lives,
health status, livelihoods, assets and services, which could occur in a particular community or society
over some specified future time period.

6. DISASTER
The term “disaster” comes from the French word “desastre” which is a combination of the
words “des” (bad) and “aster” (star). The root of the word disaster comes from an astrological sense of a
calamity blamed on the position of planets.

Disaster is define as 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.

Comment: 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.
Disaster impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease and other negative effects on human
physical, mental and social wellbeing, together with damage to property, destruction of assets, loss of
services, social and economic disruption and environmental degradation.

Disaster = Exposure to Hazards X Vulnerability

Capacity

When a community lacks the capacity to adapt to disruptions, disaster happens. The impact of
disasters varies depending on the geographical location and vulnerability of the exposures. The role of
humans affect the impacts of disaster.

Take note: Interaction between Risk, Hazard, Vulnerability and Capacity

Hazards do not necessarily constitute disaster. Disasters are usually describe in terms of the
effects which a hazard has on lives, property, environment and the cost of recovery or rehabilitation.
(Explain the Diagram in the DRRR Manual p.14)

6.1. 2 CATEGORIES OF DISASTER RISK (See VSmart)

6.2. IMPACT OF DISASTER (See VSmart)

7. DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION

It is a term used for reducing and preventing disaster risks. (DRR) is the concept and practice of
reducing disaster risks through analysis and management of the causal factors of disasters. It leads to
reduced exposure to hazards, lessening of vulnerability of people and assets, effective management of
land and the environment and improved preparedness for adverse events.

Disaster risk reduction usually requires long-term planning across sectors and must be
integrated into general national and regional development strategies. DRR strategies usually begin with
plans for assessing (a) the hazards and risks that threaten the target area, (b) the extent of harm that
would occur to communities and infrastructure, and (c) the vulnerable people’s capacities to cope with
and recover from possible disasters.

PRE-EVENT (Before)
Disaster Prevention The outright avoidance of adverse impacts of hazards and related disasters.
It expresses the concept and intention to completely avoid potential
adverse impacts through action taken in advance such as construction of
infrastructure to eliminate certain risks, land use regulation that do not
permit any settlement in high-risk zones and seismic engineering designs
that ensure the integrity of building in an earthquake.
Disaster Mitigation The lessening or limitation of the adverse impacts of hazards and related
disasters. Mitigation measures encompass engineering techniques and
hazard-resilient construction as well as improved environmental policies
and public awareness.
Disaster Preparedness The knowledge and capacities developed by governments, professional
response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals to
effectively anticipate respond to, and recover from, the impacts of likely,
imminent or current hazard events or conditions
A state in which individuals and groups of a community have developed
plans, allocated resources, and established procedures for an efficient and
effective implementation of the plans for the purpose of saving lives and
preventing further damage to property in the event of a disaster.
Preparedness includes plans or preparations made to save lives and to help
response-and rescue operations. Evacuation plans and stocking food and
water are both examples of preparedness.
EVENT (During)
Disaster Response The provision of emergency services and public assistance during or
immediately after a disaster in order to save lives, reduce health impacts,
ensure public safety and meet the basic subsistence needs of the people
 affected.
The act of implementing or translating into actions what are called for by
the preparedness plans. Response includes actions taken to save lives and
prevent further damage in a disaster or emergency situation. Seeking
shelter from strong winds accompanying a typhoon and evacuating to
higher grounds due to an impending flood are examples of response.
POST-EVENT (After)
Disaster Rehabilitation The restoration, and improvement where appropriate, of facilities,
and Recovery livelihoods and living conditions of disaster-affected communities, including
efforts to reduce disaster risk factors, in accordance with the principle of
“build back better”.
Decisions and actions taken after a disaster with a view to restoring or
improving the pre-disaster living conditions of the stricken community,
while encouraging and facilitating necessary adjustments to reduce disaster
risks.