Northern Luzon Adventist College

Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan

DRR SY 2021

Disaster Risk
Reduction
and
Management
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

Lesson 1: What is Disaster and Disaster Risk?

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

1. Understand the meaning of disaster.
2. Justify different kinds of disasters that are common; the Philippines has experience.
3. Observe surroundings and every situation that you may encounter.
4. Appreciate the significance of knowing disaster risks and how it may affect one’s life.

Philippines: A Country Prone to Natural Disasters

The Philippines has experienced from an inexhaustible number of deadly earthquakes, volcano eruptions,
and other natural disasters. This is due to its location along the Ring of Fire, a large Pacific Ocean region where
many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

Disaster is "a sudden, calamitous occurrence that causes great harm,

injury, destruction, and devastation to life and property”. It disrupts the usual course of life, causing both physical and
emotional distress such as an intense feeling of helplessness and hopelessness. A preceding definition of disaster
stresses that two elements are affected – life (whether human or animal) and property. The effects vary – it maybe
a minor damage (like broken windows and doors), major damage (like torn rooftops, collapsed walls), total
destruction (like completely destroyed houses and structures rendering them useless and inhabitable) and the worst
scenario, it can lead to death. (Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, ADPC, 2012)

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, 2008), disaster is “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”.Any adverse
episode or phenomenon can exploit a vulnerability in the affected population or community to create damage and
this awareness will form the basis for an adequate intervention.

Meanwhile, the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction defines disaster 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.

Disasters are often 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.
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

Its impacts may include loss of life, injury, disease and other negative effects on human physical, mental,
and social wellbeing, together with damage to properties, destruction of assets, loss of services, social and economic
disruptions, and environmental degradation.
Mahar, Patrick, et.al, “Disasters and their Effects on the Population: Key Concepts,” Accessed (01
June 2020), https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/disasters_dpac_PEDsModule1.pdf

Image 1. Different kinds of Natural Disaster

Classification of Disasters:

Disasters can be divided into 2 large categories:

A. Natural Disasters – a natural phenomenon is caused by natural forces, such as earthquakes, typhoon,
volcanic eruptions, hurricanes, fires, tornados, and extreme temperatures. They can be classified as rapid
onset disasters and those with progressive onset, such as droughts that lead to famine. These events,
usually sudden, can have tremendous effects.
B. Man-made - Disasters caused by man are those in which major direct causes are identifiable
intentional or non-intentional human actions.

Subdivided into three categories:

1. Technological/industrial disasters - Unregulated industrialization and inadequate safety standards
increase the risk for industrial disasters.

EXAMPLE: leaks of hazardous materials; accidental explosions; bridge or road collapses, or vehicle
collisions; Power cuts
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

2. Terrorism/Violence - the threat of terrorism has also increased due to the spread of technologies
involving nuclear, biological, and chemical agents used to develop weapons of mass destruction.

EXAMPLE : bombs or explosions; release of chemical materials; release of biological agents; release
of radioactive agents; multiple or massive shootings; mutinies

3. Complex humanitarian emergencies - the term complex emergency is usually used to describe the
humanitarian emergency resulting from an international or civil war. In such situations, large numbers
of people are displaced from their homes due to the lack of personal safety and the disruption of basic
infrastructure including food distribution, water, electricity, and sanitation, or communities are left
stranded and isolated in their own homes unable to access assistance.

EXAMPLE: conflicts or wars and Genocide the deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially
those of a particular ethnic group or nation

“Disasters and their Effects on the Population: Key Concepts,”, Accessed on 02 June
2020, pages 7-10, https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/disasters_
dpac_PEDsModule1. pdf

The damage caused by disaster cannot be measured. It also differs with the kind of geographical location,
climate, earth’s specific characteristics, and level of vulnerability. These determining factors affect generally the
psychological, socio – economic, political, and ethnical state of the affected area.

Risk and Disaster Risk

Risk has various connotations within different disciplines. In general, risk is defined as “the combination of
the probability of an event and its negative consequences” (UNISDR, 2009). The term risk is thus multidisciplinary
and is used in a variety of contexts. It is usually associated with the degree to which humans cannot cope (lack of
capacity) with a situation (e.g. natural hazard).

The term disaster risk refers to the potential (not actual and realized) disaster losses, in lives, health status,
livelihoods, assets, and services which could occur in a community or society over some specified future time period.

Disaster risk is the product of the possible damage caused by a hazard due to the vulnerability within a
community. It should be noted that the effect of a hazard (of a particular magnitude) would affect communities
differently (Von Kotze, 1999:35).

It can also be determined by the presence of three variables: hazards (natural or anthropogenic);
vulnerability to a hazard; and coping capacity linked to the reduction, mitigation, and resilience to the vulnerability of
a community.

-----End of lesson 1-----

 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

Lesson 2: Risk Factors Underlying Disasters

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

1. identify the risk factors underlying disasters.
2. describe each Risk factors underlying disasters.
3. utilize the gained knowledge in real life situations to avoid harm and assure safety.
4. appreciate the importance of understanding the risk factors underlying disasters to mitigate the effects
of disaster and practice mitigation measures as early as necessary.

RISK FACTORS

Disaster risk as defined in the first lesson, has three important elements such as:
1. Exposure - the “elements at risk from a natural or man-made hazard event (Quebral, 2016).
2. 2. Hazard-a potentially dangerous physical occurrence, phenomenon or human activity that may
result in loss of life or injury, property damage, social and economic disruption, or environmental degradation.
3. Vulnerability - the condition determined by physical, social, economic and environmental factors or
processes, which increase the susceptibility of a community to the impact of hazard (Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United nation, FAO
2008).
Reduction of the level of vulnerability and exposure is possible by keeping people and property as distant
as possible from hazards. We cannot avoid natural events from occurring, but we can concentrate on addressing
the reduction of risk and exposure by determining the factors causing disasters.
Risk Factors are processes or conditions, often development-related, that influence the level of disaster
risk by increasing levels of exposure and vulnerability or reducing capacity.
The following are also taken into consideration when risk factors underlying disaster are involved:

⚫ Severity of exposure - which measures those who experience disaster first- hand which has the highest
risk of developing future mental problems, followed by those in contact with the victims such as rescue
workers and health care practitioners and the lowest risk are those most distant like those who have
awareness of the disaster only through news.

⚫ Gender and Family - the female gender suffers more adverse effects. This worsens when children are
present at home. Marital relationships are placed under strain.

⚫ Age - adults in the age range of 40-60 are more stressed after disasters but in general, children exhibit
more stress after disasters than adults do.
Magbool, Irfan, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, ADPC, 31 December 2012,
https://www.adpc.net/igo/contents/adpcpage.asp?pid=1266&dep=RIG
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

⚫ Economic status of country - evidence indicates that severe mental problems resulting from disasters
are more prevalent in developing countries like the Philippines. Furthermore, it has been observed that
natural disasters tend to have more adverse effects in developing countries than do man- caused disasters
in developed countries.
Magbool, Irfan, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, ADPC, 31 December 2012,
https://www.adpc.net/igo/contents/adpcpage.asp?pid=1266&dep=RIG

Factors which underlie disasters:

1. 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. For most people, the expression “climate
change” means the alteration of the world’s climate that we humans are causing such as burning of fossil fuels,
deforestation and other practices that increase the carbon footprint and concentration of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. This is in line with the official definition by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC) that climate change is the change that can be attributed “directly or indirectly to human activity that alters
the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over
comparable time
periods”
International Strategy for Disaster Reduction, “Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction”,
September 2008 https://www.wmo.int/pages/prog/dra/vcp/documents/7607_Climate-Change-DRR.pdf

2. Environmental Degradation - changes to the environment can influence the frequency and intensity of hazards,
as well as our exposure and vulnerability to these hazards. For instance, deforestation of slopes often leads to an
increase in landslide hazard and removal of mangroves can increase the damage caused by storm surges (UNISDR,
2009b). It is both a driver and consequence of disasters, reducing the capacity of the environment to meet social
and ecological needs. Over consumption of natural resources results in environmental degradation, reducing the
effectiveness of essential ecosystem services, such as the mitigation of floods and landslides. This leads to increased
risk from disasters, and in turn, natural hazards can further degrade the environment.

Prevention Web. Editor, “Environmental Degradation”, Prevention Web. The Knowledge Platform for Disaster
Risk Reduction, 12 November 2015
https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/environmental-degradation

3. Globalized Economic Development - It results in an increased polarization between the rich and poor on a
global scale. Currently increasing the exposure of assets in hazard prone areas, globalized economic development
provides an opportunity to build resilience if effectively managed. By participating in risk- sensitive
development strategies such as investing in protective infrastructure, environmental management, and upgrading
informal settlements, risk can be reduced. Dominance and increase of wealth in certain regions and cities are expected
to have increased hazard exposure (Gencer, 2013).

Prevention Web. Editor, “Globalized Economic Development”, Prevention Web. The

Knowledge Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, 12 November 2015
https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/globalized-economic-development
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

4. Poverty and Inequality - Impoverished people are more likely to live in hazard- exposed areas and are less able
to invest in risk-reducing measures. The lack of access to insurance and social protection means that people in
poverty are often forced to use their already limited assets to buffer disaster losses, which drives them into further
poverty. Poverty is therefore both a cause and consequence of disaster risk (Wisner et al., 2004), particularly
extensive risk, with drought being the hazard most closely associated with poverty (Shepard et al., 2013). The impact
of disasters on the poor can, in addition to loss of life, injury and damage, cause a total loss of livelihoods,
displacement, poor health, food insecurity, among other consequences. Vulnerability is not simply about poverty, but
extensive research over the past 30 years has revealed that it is generally the poor who tend to suffer worst from
disasters (DFID, 2004; Twigg, 2004; Wisner et al., 2004; UNISDR, 2009b).
Prevention Web. Editor, “Poverty and inequality”, Prevention Web. The Knowledge
Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, 12 November
2015 https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/poverty-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. People, poverty, and disaster risk are
increasingly concentrated in cities. The growing rate of urbanization and the increase in population density (in cities)
can lead to creation of risk, especially when urbanization is rapid, poorly planned and occurring in a context of
widespread poverty. Growing concentrations of people and economic activities in many cities are seen to overlap
with areas of high-risk exposure.
Prevention Web editor, “Poorly planned and managed urban development “, Prevention Web. The
Knowledge Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction, 12 November 2015
https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/poorly-planned-managed-urban-development

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. Disaster risk is disproportionately concentrated in lower-income countries with weak governance (UNISDR,
2015a). Disaster risk governance refers to the specific arrangements that societies put in place to manage their
disaster risk (UNISDR,
2011a; UNDP, 2013a) within a broader context of risk governance (Renn, 2008 in UNISDR, 2015a). This reflects
how risk is valued against a backdrop of broader social and economic concerns (Holley et al., 2011).
Prevention Web. Editor, “ ”Prevention Web. The Knowledge Platform for Disaster Risk
Reduction. Nov. 12, 2015 https://www.preventionweb.net/risk/weak-governance

Certain factors are related to a survivor’s background and recovery is hampered if survivors: were not
functioning well before the disaster; have no experience dealing with disasters; must deal with other stressors
after the disaster; have low self-esteem; feel uncared for by others; think they exercise little control over what happens
to them; and unable to manage stress.
More factors contributory to worse outcomes: death of someone close; injury to self or family member; life
threat; panic, horror, or similar feelings; separation from family; massive loss of property; and displacement.

-----End of Lesson 2-----

 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

Lesson 3: Effects of Disaster in One’s Life

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

1. Identify the effects of disasters to human and to the society.

2. Determine ways to lessen the impact of a disaster.
3. Cite personal values that can help one overcome the effects of disasters.
4. Help the community in reducing the effects of natural and human- made disasters

A disaster is a damaging event that occurs suddenly and involves loss of life and property. It can be of two
types, natural and man-made.

Natural disasters can destroy a whole community in an instant. Examples of natural disasters are volcanic
eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, and typhoons which are destructive to people's lives.

Man-made disasters on the other hand are caused by human beings. Some of the man-made disasters
are bomb explosions, terrorism, wars, leakage of poisonous chemicals, pollutions, industrial accidents, and
epidemics. They are identified as man- made disasters because they happen due to human actions and not by
natural forces.

What is the difference between hazard and disaster?

A hazard is a dangerous situation or event that carries a threat to humans. A disaster is an event that harms
humans and disrupts the operations of society. Hazards can only be considered disasters once it affected
humans. If a disaster happened in an unpopulated area, it is still a hazard.

The Human Effect of Natural and Man-Made Disasters

1. Displaced Populations

One of the most immediate effects of natural disasters is population displacement. When countries are ravaged
by earthquakes or other powerful forces of nature, many people need to abandon their homes and seek shelter
in other regions. A large influx of refugees can disrupt accessibility of health care and education, as well
as food supplies and clean water.

2. Health Risks

Aside from the obvious immediate danger that natural disasters present, the secondary effect can be just as
damaging. Severe flooding can result in stagnant water that allows breeding of waterborne bacteria and malaria-
carrying mosquitoes. Without emergency relief from international aid organizations and others, death tolls
can rise even after the immediate danger has passed.

3. Food Scarcity

The aftermath of natural disasters affects the food supplies. Thousands of people around the world are hungry
because of destroyed crops and loss of agricultural supplies, whether it happens suddenly in a storm or
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

gradually in a drought. As a result, food prices rise reducing families’ purchasing power and increasing the risk
of severe malnutrition or worse. The impacts of hunger following an earthquake, typhoon or hurricane can
be tremendous, causing lifelong damage to children’s development.

4. Emotional Aftershocks

Natural disasters can be particularly traumatic for young children. Confronted with scenes of destruction and
the deaths of friends and loved ones, many children develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a serious
psychological condition resulting from extreme trauma. Left untreated, c h i l d r e n s u f f e r i n g f r o m
PTSD can be prone to lasting
psychological damage and emotional distress.

‘The Devastating Impact on Natural Disasters’, ChildFund, last modified May 30, 2020,
https://www.childfund.org/Content/NewsDetail/2147489272/

Great damage caused by a disaster can be reduced if everyone will take responsibility in anticipating its effects.
Here are some ways on how to plan ahead of a disaster:

1. Check for hazards at home.

2. Identify safe place indoors and outdoors
3. Educate yourself and family members
4. Have Disaster kits/supplies on hand.
5. Develop an emergency communication plan.
6. Help your community get ready.
7. Practice the Disaster Preparedness Cycle

plan

Organize
Evaluate
and Equip

Exercise Plan

Train

-----End of Lesson 3----

Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

Lesson 4: Disasters from a Different Perspective

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

1. identify the different perspectives on disasters.

2. explain different disaster perspectives.
3. formulate helpful methods to face different disasters.
4. manifest readiness to face possible disasters.

Disasters come in different forms and intensity. Nobody knows when it will strike and how will it happen.
Therefore, everybody must know how to determine possible disasters and anticipate possible damages in order to
prepare oneself from the potential harms that it may cause to people and the community.

The Different Perspectives of Disaster

1. Physical perspective
Calamities are phenomena that cause great physical damage in a community infrastructure, its
people and their properties, e.g. houses and environmental sources of living. These cited effects of a disaster
can be easily measured and the most common.

Natural disasters generally affect the physical infrastructural facilities, agricultural productivity and even
lead to loss of life and cause damage to property. Various factors influence the effects of a disaster on a country
among them are the magnitude of the disaster, the geography of the area affected, and the recovery efforts
directed towards reducing the immediate effects of a disaster.

“Effects of a natural Disasters on a Country Essay”, Ivy Panda Free Study Hub,
January 20, 2020, https://ivypanda.com/essays/effects-of-a-natural-disaster-
on-a-country/

Effects of Physical Disasters

- Injuries
- Physical disabilities or illness
- Sanitation
- Damage in infrastructure

2. Psychological Perspective
Victims of disasters may suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other serious mental
health conditions, which are not being given much attention to by the authorities or even by the victims,
themselves. (This may be sensitive statement)

Disasters are mostly unpredictable, which leave the victims in a state of shock. They tend to deny the
loss and try to escape from reality. Being in a denialstate makes the victims more vulnerable to stress, anxiety,
and other different maladaptive reactions. Death of a closed one also leaves the victim in a state of insecurity
because the sense of love, attachment and belongingness are deprived.
Makwana, Nikunj Disaster and its impact on mental health: A narrative
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

review, October 31, 2019

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6857396/

Psychological effects of a Disaster:

distress hopelessness intrusion/avoidance

emotional effects hatred/revenge cognitive Effects
dependence/insecurities physical Effects grief/withdrawn/isolation
interpersonal effect guilt feeling helplessness
lack of trust
3. Socio-cultural Perspective
Filipinos are generally known as “matiisin”, resourceful, helpful, optimistic, and prayerful. These
characteristics are manifested in the country’s recent fight against COVID19.Due to the National Health Emergency,
Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) prevailed in the whole country. A lot of people temporarily lost their jobs,
some people stranded in different regions, repatriated OFWs were held in different quarantine facilities in Metro
Manila, and all people were restricted to go out of their homes for months. As a result, most Filipino families would
rely on government’s help for them to get by. However, limited resources and aids from the government make
people find possible ways to survive amid the pandemic.

These traits help a lot of Filipinos to survive the challenge of COVID19 in the country. To people who are
used to natural calamities like typhoons, flash floods, and volcanic eruptions most citizen would find contentment
with what they have at the moment. The culture of “malalampasan din natin ‘to..” belief and “ bahala na and Diyos”
syndrome give hope to most Filipino in the midst of a disaster. Such perspective helps a lot especially those who
belong to the marginalized sector to be hopeful and continue fighting against any challenge at hand. Their belief that
a help from someone or from God would arrive at a time they most needed. It also helps most people survive a lot
of oddities in life.

Socio-Cultural Effect of Disasters

➢ change in individual roles
➢ disruption of social relationships and personal connections

4. Economic Perspective
Disasters affect the economic condition of a community because they reduce local and international trade. It
can also partially or totally paralyze a country’s transportation system, just like what happened in the COVID19
pandemic. Implementation of a partial and total shut down of local business operations result to a lot of people
losing means of living.

Economic Effects of Disasters

- loss of life
- unemployment
- loss of property
loss of household articles
- loss of crops
- loss of public infrastructure
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

5. Political Perspective
Natural disasters are commonly thought to be less politically argumentative than armed conflicts, yet a closer
look shows that both the effects of a natural disaster and the resulting distribution of humanitarian aid are profoundly
linked to politics.

Just as vulnerability to disasters is mediated by the political system of a country, disasters can have major
consequences for political stability and political legitimacy (Hörhager, July 2017. Since agencies of government have
a significant role to play in directing disaster preparedness, prevention and recovery. Social systems establish
vulnerability to natural disasters and governments are often considered to be responsible for the disaster effects.

Political Effects of a Disaster

- People who have trust in political institution will assess the government’s risk assessments
as credible and accept their hazard policies (Johnson 1999)
- Low level of trust in public institutions therefore means that citizens may ignore the recommendations
and disregard the information provided by these institutions (McCaffey 2004).
- If individuals are confident that they will receive sufficient aid from the government when a disaster
occurs, they might not be motivated to take measures on their own (King and Kang 2000).

6. Biological Perspective
The disturbing effects caused by a prevalent kind of disease or virus in an epidemic or pandemic level is
known as biological disaster.

(a) Epidemic Level: Biological disaster affects large numbers of people within a given community or area. Ex:
Dengue.

(b) Pandemic Level: Biological disaster affects a much large region, sometime spanning entire continents or
the globe

ex. Swine Flue

Important topics: Biological Disasters -Causes and Way forward,

IAS Planner Helping Civil Service Aspirants,
http://www.iasplanner.com/civilservices/important- topics/biological-
disasters-causes-and-way-forward

Biological disasters can wipe out an entire population at a short span of time.

Example of it is the COVID19 pandemic which infected millions in less than a month and left thousands of deaths in
the same duration. Viral respiratory infections can lead to anything from a mild cough that lasts a few weeks or
months to full-blown persistent wheezing or asthma (Martin, 2020). He added that when there is a severe respiratory
infection, recovery can be prolonged with a general increase in shortness of breath— even after normal lung function
returns. Since COVID19 is a respiratory disease, the public is advised by health authorities to do health precaution to
prevent social contamination. Examples are: observing physical distancing, appropriate washing of the hands,
wearing of mask at all times once outside of one’s home, and boosting one’s immune system.
 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

COVID19 patients who have strong immune system can likely soon recover from the disease. Also, those who follow
the health precaution strictly have less chance of being infected. As such, the effects of a biological disaster can be
reduced.

Effects of Biological Disasters

➢ loss of lives
➢ public demobilization
➢ negative economic effect
➢ unemployment
➢ hunger

---End of Lesson 4---

 Northern Luzon Adventist College
Artacho, Sison, Pangasinan
DRR SY 2021

Lesson 5: Vulnerability

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

1. define vulnerability;
2. determine what makes a community vulnerable or not;
3. assess events situations delicately to identify vulnerability level and coping capacity and ability; and
4. manage personal beliefs through knowing the importance of identifying exposure and vulnerability to disaster

Vulnerability can determine the ability of an person or a group to predict, cope with, resist and recover from the
effects of a natural or human-induced threat. As vulnerability increases, it means that the population is at
greater risk of suffering from a severe natural danger.

Vulnerability Defined

Vulnerability is a state of being at risk. According to Republic Act 10121 also known as ‘Philippine Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management Act of
2010’, vulnerability is defined as the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or resource that
make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard. With all the identified hazard at home, there is a possibility
that some family members might be susceptible or prone to the accident due to the presence of hazard.

Vulnerability is also situation specific. This means that if a specific province is prone to earthquake, it does
not mean that all localities on that province is vulnerable to it. The vulnerability of different towns or cities or even
provinces differ in the way they prepare for the hazard and the amount and type of resources they have in order
prevent and manage it. To lessen vulnerability means to make the community prepared and ready for the possible
damaging effect of the hazard. This further means that to make the community less vulnerable, it must be resilient.
So, to develop resiliency at home, you should first identify the hazards and be prepared all the time for the possible
outcome and respond immediately.

Moreover, it is also hazard specific. A community that is vulnerable to earthquake hazard does not necessarily mean
that it is also vulnerable to typhoons. Hazards have different traits that can influence the disasters possible to
happen.

---end of lesson 5---