Disaster Risk Reduction Management
Context
Auring, Sendong, Yolanda and Pablo are
names so hard for many to forget. Many
have suffered from the havocs they brought.
Many lives, livelihood and property were
destroyed. Many have been displaced and
relocated to distant places. COVID19, the
most recent pandemic also claimed a
significant number of lives worldwide and
upends the global economy.
Nowadays natural and manmade disasters
occur at any time and most of us are not
prepared to handle them. Many have
suffered from the destruction brought about
by these disasters and the Philippines does
not have all the advanced equipment and
facilities to predict climatic and non-climatic
events. Hence, we are not able to respond
quickly and more appropriately and
rehabilitation of the affected areas takes a
long time.
It is highly evident from the past disasters
we have encountered that “..having the right
knowledge, skills and attitudes to be
prepared for, respond to, and recover from
disasters” can make a significant difference
between life and death. Whether one is a
survivor or not, s/he gets involve in
whatever way s/he can as a responder in
the disaster sites, evacuation centers,
hospitals and relief and rehabilitation
centers. Each one has a role to play in
making that difference.
Hazards in the Philippines
What is a hazard?
"Hazard" - a dangerous phenomenon,
substance, human activity or condition that
may cause loss of life, injury or other health
impacts, property damage, loss of livelihood
and services, social and economic
disruption, or environmental damage (Risk
Reduction – Department of Risk and
Disaster Management of Seychelles, n.d.).
The 2018 World Risk Report says that
Philippines ranked third among all the
countries with the highest risk in terms of
disaster with an index value of 25.14%
(World Economic Forum, 2018). At least
60% of the country’s total land area is
exposed to multiple hazards, and 74% of
the population is susceptible to their impact
(GFDRR, 2017) due its geographical
context and location as risk involving
coastal hazards such as typhoons, storm
surges and rising sea levels is high. Yearly,
the country experiences an average of
twenty typhoons, half of these are
destructive; is a host to 300 volcanoes,
twenty-two of which are active as well as
active faults and trenches that are potential
sources of earthquakes.
Hazards may be categorized into two (2):
1. Natural Hazards
A natural process or event that is potentially
damaging in that it may result in loss of life
or injury, loss of property, socio-economic
destruction or environmental degradation.
NATURAL HAZARDS (PHYSICAL)
1. Climate and Weather-Related
Hazards – refer to the direct and
indirect effects of observed changes
and/or projected deviations from
present-day conditions of natural
climate events (such as increases
and decreases in precipitation and
temperature); and impacts of
changes in the frequencies and
occurrences of extreme
 weather/climate events (such as
tropical cyclones (typhoon),
droughts, and El Niño and La Niña
events).
The term typhoon is used to refer to all
kinds of tropical cyclones, of which there are
four kinds. These are tropical depressions
(<17 m/s), tropical storm (18-33 m/s),
typhoons (34-64 m/s) and super-typhoons
(>65 m/s). In general, typhoons are
considered extreme weather events.
2. Geophysical Hazards – destructive
phenomena. However, these are
part of the normal functioning of our
dynamic planet. These so-called
hazards are due to naturally
occurring processes in the earth’s
interior.
FOUR (4) HAZARDS ARE CONSIDERED
UNDER THIS CATEGORY:
1. Earthquake A natural process that is
hazardous is the movement of
lithospheric plates (the solid crust
and a few kilometers of the upper
mantle), which causes the tectonic
earthquakes. US Geological Survey
defines the term earthquake as
"both sudden slip on a fault, and the
resulting ground shaking and
radiated seismic energy caused by
the slip, or by volcanic or magmatic
activity, or other sudden stress
changes in the earth (i.e. event by
man made explosions)".
2. Earthquake-Induced Landslides -
resulting ground motion due to an
earthquake produces another
natural hazard such as landslides
and tsunamis. Landslide is the
downslope movement of soil and/or
rock.
3. Tsunami - is a sea wave of local or
distant origin that results from large-
scale seafloor displacements
associated with large earthquakes,
major submarine slides, or exploding
volcanic islands.
4. Volcanic Eruption - ascent of molten
material called magma beneath the
earth's surface, which results to
eruptions of a volcano. A volcano is
a vent at the Earth's surface through
which magma (molten rock) and
associated gases erupt, and also the
cone built by effusive and explosive
eruptions.
Volcanic eruptions are accompanied with a
wide variety of destructive effects including
release of magma, explosive effects,
expulsion of large projectiles, pyroclastic
flows (flow of hot molten material), ashfall,
release of clouds of very hot gases, lahars,
mudflows and ground shaking, to name the
most common.
Sources of data for these hazards include
the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and the
Earthquake and Natural Resource Atlas of
the Philippines of 1998.
Reviewing the natural disaster record for the
Philippines, volcano and earthquake
disasters are frequent in the top ten.
NATURAL HAZARDS (BIOLOGICAL)
Epidemic/Disease outbreaks – “the
occurrence in a community or region of
cases of an illness . . . clearly in excess of
normal expectancy” (Porta 2014) that are
usually caused by an infection, transmitted
through person-to-person contact, animal-
to-person contact, or from the environment
or other media. Occasionally the cause of
an outbreak is unknown, even after
thorough investigation
● Communicable disease outbreaks -
Environmental factors influencing
the spread of communicable
diseases: Water, sanitation, food
and air quality are vital elements in
the transmission of communicable
 diseases and in the spread of
diseases prone to cause epidemics.
● Disease outbreaks caused by
chemicals - outbreaks that are due
to exposure to chemicals or toxins.
Outbreaks may also occur following
exposure to chemicals or to
radioactive materials. For example,
Minamata disease is caused by
exposure to mercury.
● Disease outbreaks of unknown
etiology - Occasionally, an outbreak
is seen in a population for which the
cause is unclear. Such an outbreak
may be due to a new or modified
pathogen, a natural toxin, or it may
be due to an initially undetected
release of a chemical agent or over-
exposure to ionizing radiation.
(“WHO | Disease outbreaks,” 2012)
● Pandemic - refers to an epidemic
that:
● affects a wider geographical area,
often worldwide.
● infects a greater number of people
than an epidemic.
● is often caused by a new virus or a
strain of virus that has not circulated
among people for a long time.
Humans usually have little to no
immunity against it. The virus
spreads quickly from person-to-
person worldwide.
● causes much higher numbers of
deaths than epidemics.
● often creates social disruption,
economic loss, and general
hardship.
Example: (flu) pandemic of 1918-1919,
2009 H1N1 influenza, COVID19
2. Anthropogenic or Man-made
Hazards
Other terms may include: Human-induced
hazards or Technological hazards) includes:
● Fires
The active principle of burning,
characterized by the heat and light of
combustion.
Two types of Fire:
1. Ordinary Fire – used in beneficial to
people such as cooking, lighting,
providing warmth etc., and which
does not endanger lives, properties
or environment
2. Destructive Fire – uncontrollable fire
that endangers lives, properties,
and/or environment
● Deforestation
● climate change
● Industrial disasters (e.i Marcopper
mining disaster)
● Nuclear accidents (e.i Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear disaster in japan)
● Chemical accidents (e.i Batangas
plant explosion – chemical spill)
● Wars, civil strife
● Structural failures (e.i the collapse of
Versailles wedding hall in
Jerusalem)
Philippines' Vulnerability to Hazard
Why do we experience this hazard?
Definition of Terms
1. “Exposure” - the degree to which
the elements at risk are likely to
experience hazard events of
different magnitudes.
2. "Disaster" - 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.
 3. “Disaster Risk” - the potential
disaster losses in lives, health
status, livelihood, assets and
services, which could occur 7 to a
particular community or a society
over some specified future time
period
4. "Emergency" - unforeseen or
sudden occurrence, especially
danger, demanding immediate
action. According to the Philippine Institute of
5. “Vulnerability" - the characteristics Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)
and circumstances of a out of 300 volcanoes, there are a total of
community, system or asset that twenty-four (24) active volcanoes
make it susceptible to the distributed all over the Philippines
damaging effects of a hazard. archipelago. Among the 24 active
● physical, social, economic, and volcanoes, Taal volcano is even
environmental factors considered as the second most frequently
● poor design and construction of erupting volcanoes based on a February
buildings 2018 study “A synthesis and review of
● inadequate protection of assets historical eruptions of Taal Volcano,
● lack of public information and Southern, Philippines,”
awareness
● limited official recognition of risks
and preparedness measures,
● disregard for wise environmental
management.

The geographical location of the

Philippines makes the country uniquely
exposed to a Plethora (an excessive
amount) of hazards, including recurrent
typhoons, earthquakes, and 53 active
volcanoes, eruptions of which are
classified as the most deadly and costly
globally (Doroteo, 2015) The following
explains why:
Pacific Ring of Fire - Philippines lies within
the Ring of Fire, a region of subduction
zone volcanism surrounding the Pacific
Ocean. This explains the distribution of
most volcanoes in the Philippines and its
susceptibility to earthquakes, tsunamis,
and volcanic hazards. Philippine
Volcanoes are classified as Active,
Inactive, and Potentially active.
The western part of the Pacific Ocean –
Philippines lies along the western part of
the Pacific Ocean which makes it
susceptible to monsoons, thunderstorms,
ITCZ, typhoons, El Niño, La Niña. More
tropical cyclones (TCs) are entering the
Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR)
than anywhere else in the world. Yearly,
the country experiences an average of
twenty typhoons or tropical cyclones with
about 8 or 9 of them crossing the
Philippines. (PAGASA, 2019)

Archipelagic nature of the Philippine
coastal areas - which increases
susceptibility to storm surges, tsunamis,
and sea-level changes. (Community
Mapping for Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management: Harnessing Local
Knowledge to Build Resilience -
Philippines, n.d.)
According to the World Risk Report 2019,
the Philippines is ranked the ninth riskiest
country worldwide as a consequence of
extreme weather events.
Determinants of Risk
Why do disasters happen?
Disaster Risk is a complex interplay of
several factors:
DISASTER CRUNCH MODEL
The Disaster Crunch Model is a
framework for understanding and
explaining the causes of disaster and
adopts a cause-effect perspective. It is a
pressure model. Vulnerability (pressure) is
seen as rooted in socio-economic and
political processes.
These have to be addressed (released)
for disaster risk reduction. The model
reveals a progression of vulnerability. It
begins with underlying causes in society
that prevent satisfying the demands of the
people.
The crunch is on these more vulnerable
communities due to the unsafe conditions
they live in. The Disaster Crunch Model
proceeds from the premise that a disaster
happens when and only when, a hazard
impacts on a vulnerable community or
people.
1. What are the underlying causes of
disaster?
Pressures are caused or increased by a
set of ‘underlying causes’ which
encourage those in positions of power to
behave in a certain way. These underlying
causes may be political ideas, economic
principles, or cultural Issues.
2. What are the dynamic pressures?
Dynamic pressures consist of social
structures and processes that can
influence how vulnerable members of the
community are to hazards. The structures
are the people, institutions or
organizations that affect the community’s
vulnerabilities or capacities, and the
processes are the way in which they exert
their influence. For example, a local
government department would be a
structure, while its decisions, policies or
projects would be the processes. When
examining the causes of vulnerability, we
need to ask the questions ‘Who or what
influences the community?’ (ie the
structures) and ‘How do they influence the
community?’ (ie the processes).

3. What are the unsafe conditions?

The Unsafe Conditions are the vulnerable

context where people and property are
exposed to risk of disaster. They may be
Capacity Building in Asia using
Information Technology Applications
(CASITA) Module 4 6 Fragile Physical
Conditions: Fragile Local Economy:
Disaster-prone locations Unsafe buildings
Unsafe infrastructure etc. Livestock at risk
Low-income levels Low health status etc.

Strengthening Disaster Risk

Governance to manage Disaster
Risk
What can we do to reduce disaster risk or
manage disaster?

1. Disaster Legislation and Policies in

the Philippines

Since 1970s, the Philippines has updated Comparison of PD 1566 and RA

legal foundations for disaster risk
reduction and management, emphasizing
response-centric interventions, along with
disaster prevention preparedness, and
mitigation activities. The list of Disaster
Legislation and Policies in the Philippines
is shown below:
10121:
● PD 1566 known as “Strengthening
the Philippine Disaster Control,
Capability and Establishing the
National Program on Community
Disaster Preparedness”
● RA10121 known as “Philippine
Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management (DRRM) Act of 2010”

From 2010, the NDRRM Law ushered in a

paradigm shift from emergency and relief
operations to a more proactive approach
that focuses on risk reduction through
preparedness, mitigation, and prevention.
(Community Mapping for Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management: Harnessing
Local Knowledge to Build Resilience -
Philippines, n.d.)
Four Thematic Areas of Disaster
Risk Management Phases of
Republic Act 10121
Definition of Terms
"Disaster" - 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 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
well-being, together with damage to
property, destruction of assets, loss of
services, Social and economic disruption
and environmental degradation.
"Disaster Risk Reduction and
Management" - the systematic process of
using administrative directives,
organizations, and operational skills and
capacities to implement strategies,
policies and improved coping capacities in
order to lessen the adverse impacts of
hazards and the possibility of disaster.
Prospective disaster risk reduction and
management refers to risk reduction and
management activities that address and
seek to avoid the development of new or
increased disaster risks, especially if risk
reduction policies are not put in place.
"Community-Based Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management" or
"CBDRRM" - a process of disaster risk
reduction and management in which at
risk communities are actively engaged in
the identification, analysis, treatment,
monitoring and evaluation of disaster risks
in order to reduce their vulnerabilities and
enhance their capacities, and where the
people are at the heart of decision-making
and implementation of disaster risk
reduction and management activities.
Disaster risk management aims to reduce,
or avoid, the potential losses from
hazards, assure prompt and appropriate
assistance to victims of disaster, and
achieve rapid and effective recovery. The
disaster management cycle illustrates the
ongoing process by which governments,
businesses, and civil society plan for and
reduce the impact of disasters, react
during and immediately following a
disaster, and take steps to recover after a
disaster has occurred.
Appropriate actions at all points in the
cycle lead to greater preparedness, better
warnings, reduced vulnerability or the
prevention of disasters during the next
iteration of the cycle. The complete
disaster management cycle includes the
shaping of public policies and plans that
either modify the causes of disasters or
mitigate their effects on people, property,
and infrastructure.
The four disaster management phases
illustrated here do not always, or even
generally, occur in isolation or in this
precise order. Often phases of the cycle
overlap and the length of each phase
greatly depends on the severity of the
disaster.
● Mitigation - Minimizing the effects
of disaster.
Examples: building codes and
zoning, vulnerability analyzes,
public education
● Preparedness - Planning how to
respond.
Examples: preparedness plans,
emergency exercises/training,
warning systems
● Response - Efforts to minimize the
hazards created by a disaster.
Examples: search and rescue,
emergency relief .
● Rehabilitation - Returning the
community to its normal condition.
Examples: temporary housing,
grants, medical care
MITIGATION
Mitigation activities actually eliminate or
reduce the probability of disaster
occurrence, or reduce the effects of
unavoidable disasters. Mitigation
measures include building codes,
vulnerability analyses updates, zoning
and land use management, building use
regulations and safety codes, preventive
health care, and public education.
Mitigation will depend on the incorporation
of appropriate measures in national and
regional development planning. Its
effectiveness will also depend on the
availability of information on hazards,
emergency risks, and the
countermeasures to be taken. The
mitigation phase, and indeed the whole
disaster management cycle, includes the
shaping of public policies and plans that
either modify the causes of disasters or
mitigate their effects on people, property,
and infrastructure.
PREPAREDNESS
The goal of emergency preparedness
programs is to achieve a satisfactory level
of readiness to respond to any emergency
situation through programs that
strengthen the technical and managerial
capacity of governments, organizations,
and communities. These measures can
be described as logistical readiness to
deal with disasters and can be enhanced
by having response mechanisms and
procedures, rehearsals, developing long-
term and short-term strategies, public
education and building early warning
systems. Preparedness can also take the
form of ensuring that strategic reserves of
food, equipment, water, medicines and
other essentials are maintained in cases
of national or local catastrophes.
During the preparedness phase,
governments, organizations, and
individuals develop plans to save lives,
minimize disaster damage, and enhance
disaster response operations.
Preparedness measures include
preparedness plans, emergency
exercises/training, warning systems,
emergency communications systems,
evacuations plans and training, resource
inventories, emergency personnel/contact
list, mutual aid agreements, and public
information/education. As with mitigations
efforts, preparedness actions depend on
the incorporation of appropriate measures
in national and regional development
plans. In addition, their effectiveness
depends on the availability of information
on hazards, emergency risks,
countermeasures to be taken, and on the
degree to which government agencies,
non-governmental organizations and the
general public are able to make use of this
information.
RESPONSE
The aim of emergency response is to
provide immediate assistance to maintain
life, improve health and support the
morale of the affected population. Such
assistance may range from providing
specific but limited aid, such as assisting
refugees with transport, temporary
shelter, and food, to establishing semi-
permanent settlement in camps and other
locations. It also may involve initial repairs
to damaged infrastructure. The focus in
the response phase is on meeting the
basic needs of the people until more
permanent and sustainable solutions can
be found. Humanitarian organizations are
often strongly present in this phase of the
disaster management cycle.

RECOVERY

As the emergency is brought under

control, the affected population is capable
of undertaking a growing number of
activities aimed at restoring their lives and
the infrastructure that supports them.
There is no distinct point at which
immediate relief changes into recovery
and then into long-term sustainable
development. There will be many
opportunities during the recovery period to
enhance prevention and increase
preparedness, thus reducing vulnerability.
Ideally, there should be a smooth
transition from recovery to ongoing
development.

Recovery activities continue until all

systems return to normal or better.
Recovery measures, both short and long
term, include returning vital life-support
systems to minimum operating standards;
temporary housing, public information,
health and safety education,
reconstruction, counseling programs, and
economic impact studies. Information
resources and services include data
collection related to rebuilding and
documentation of lessons learned.