DISASTER RISK REDUCTION REVIEWER

LESSON 1: BASIC CONCEPT OF activity that has a potential to harm

DISASTER AND RISK the community.
Disaster – is a catastrophic event that Risk – refers to the potential loss of life,
harms human’s life, property and thus injury, or destruction and damages to
disrupts social activities. assets that could occur to a system,
community, or society due to a hazardous
Two elements are affected: Life and
event.
Property
Vulnerability – defined as a set of
Minor damages – broken windows and
prevailing consequential conditions, which
doors.
adversely affects the community’s ability
Major damages – rooftops and collapsed to prevent, mitigate, prepare for and
walls. respond to hazardous events.

Total destruction – completely destroyed Who are the so-called most vulnerable
houses and structures rendering them sectors?
useless and inhabitable.
- The community members whose
It impacts may include the loss of life, capacities are low and not
injury, disease and other negative effects sufficient to withstand and
on human physical, mental, and social overcome the damaging and
wellbeing, together with damage to adverse effects of disasters (e.g.
properties, destruction of assets, loss of farmers, urban poor, laborers,
services, social and economic disruptions, indigenous people, and PWD’S).
and environmental degradation.
Who are the so-called less vulnerable
Republic Act 10121 – an act sectors?
strengthening the Philippine Disaster Risk
- The community members whose
Reduction and Management System,
capacities start from their own
providing for national disaster and risk
capability to acquire material
reduction and management plan,
resources; skills and trainings;
appropriating funds and other purposes.
positions in society (e.g.
Passed and approved on May 27, 2010 professionals, small entrepreneurs,
after 21 years of revisions and refilling in and who belong in the higher level
the two legislative bodies. of society).

Section 1 – Immediate release of calamity According to Anderson and Woodrow,

funds to the local government units. 1990 vulnerability has 3 areas;

Section 2 – Enhancing Disaster 1. Physical or Material

Preparedness. Vulnerability – location or type of
housing/building materials.
Disaster can be classified into two; Infrastructure and services: roads,
1. Natural Disaster – a natural health, facilities, schools,
phenomenon caused by natural electricity, transport, housing.
forces, such as earthquakes, 2. Social or Organizational
typhoon, and volcanic eruptions. Vulnerability – family structure
This event significantly harms a (weak/strong), leadership qualities,
community. legislation (law), relationship to the
2. Man-made Disaster – government, degree of justice and
consequences of any human equality.
 DISASTER RISK REDUCTION REVIEWER

3. Attitudinal or Motivational Types of Hazards

Vulnerability – attitude towards
1. Natural Hazards – caused by
change, initiative, faith, unity,
natural events, such as
awareness.
earthquakes, floods, tsunamis,
Capacity – the combination of all hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions.
strengths, attributes and resources 2. Biological Hazards – arise from
available within a community, living organisms, such as bacteria,
organization, or society to manage and viruses, or invasive species that
reduce disaster risks and strengthen can cause illness or harm.
resilience. 3. Chemical Hazards – involve
dangerous substance like toxic
Coping Capacity – the ability of people,
chemicals, pesticides, or
organizations, and systems, using
flammable materials.
available skills and resources, to face and
4. Physical Hazards – include
manage adverse conditions, emergencies
environmental factors like extreme
or disasters.
temperatures, radiation, noise or
Capacity Assessment – process of unsafe infrastructure.
identifying resources they rely on in time 5. Psychosocial Hazards – relate to
of crisis to reduce the damaging effect of stressor like workplace
hazards and to secure the sustainability of harassment, violence, or work-
their source of revenue. related stress.
Why is it important to understand
hazard?
LESSON 2: BASIC CONCEPT OF
HAZARD - Understanding hazard is crucial
because it allows individuals,
Hazard – refers to any source of potential communities, and organizations to
harm, danger, or adverse effect on people, anticipate, prevent, and respond
property, or the environment. effectively too potential risks.
Understanding hazards is essential for
minimizing risks and implementing safety Ensure Safety – identifying hazards helps
measures. reduce the likelihood of accidents, injuries,
or illnesses, ensuring the safety of
When can hazard become a disaster? individuals at home, in schools, workplace,
- A hazard becomes a disaster when and communities.
it happens where many people are Reduce Risks - recognizing hazards
living or have their livelihoods and enables proactive measures to minimize
causes damage to them and their risks, such as implementing safety
property. protocols, using protective equipment, and
Hazard: A typhoon has the potential to following proper procedures.
cause harm. But if it affects only one Enhance Preparedness – understanding
person and causes limited damage, the hazards equips people to prepare for
event remains categorized as a hazard. emergencies, such as natural disasters or
Disaster: A disaster typically involves accidents, through planning, training, and
widespread and significant harm, resource allocation.
overwhelming the capacity of the affected Protects lives and Property – proactive
community to respond. It is a larger-scale hazard management can prevent loss of
event that impacts many people, life and damage to property by mitigating
infrastructure, or systems. potential threats before they escalate.
 DISASTER RISK REDUCTION REVIEWER

Promotes Awareness and

Responsibility – educating individuals
about hazards fosters a culture of
awareness, encouraging personal
responsibility and collective action to
address risks.