Senior High School

DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND

MANAGEMENT

QUARTER 1 – MODULE 2
EXPOSURE AND VULNERABILITY
Disaster Risk and Reduction Management– Grade 11
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 1– Module 2: Exposure and Vulnerability
Second Edition, 2021

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Published by the Department of Education

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Allain Mae A. Balacuit

Development Team:

Chairperson: Dr. Arturo B. Bayocot, CESO III

Regional Director

Co-Chairperson: Dr. Victor G. De Gracia Jr., CESO V

Asst. Regional Director
Jonathan S. Dela Peña, PhD, CESO V
Schools Division Superintendent
Nimfa R. Lago, PhD, CESO VI
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

Mala Epra B. Magnaong, Chief ES, CLMD

Members: Marie Emerald A. Cabigas, PhD, EPS-LRMS; Bienvinido U.

Tagolimot, Jr., PhD, Eps-AMD; Erlinda G. Dael, PhD, CID Chief;
Norberto E. Rosales, EPS (TVL/TLE); Celleto B. Magsayo, LRMS
Manager; Loucille L. Paclar, Librarian II; Kim Eric G. Lubguban
PDO II

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DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND
MANAGEMENT

QUARTER 1 – MODULE 2
EXPOSURE AND VULNERABILITY

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 Table of Contents

What I Need to Know .............................................................................................. 5

How to Learn from this Module .............................................................................. .5
Icons of this Module ............................................................................................... .6
What I Know.......................................................................................................... ..7

Lesson 1:Areas and Locations Exposed to Hazards

What’s In ........................................................................................... .7
What New ......................................................................................... .7
What Is It........................................................................................... .7
What’s More ...................................................................................... .8
What I Have Learned………………………………………………………8
What I Can Do ……………………………………………………………..8

Lesson 2:Disaster from Different Perspectives

What’s In ........................................................................................... .9
What New ......................................................................................... .9
What Is It........................................................................................... .9
What’s More ...................................................................................... .12
What I Have Learned………………………………………………………12
What I Can Do ……………………………………………………………..13

Lesson 3: Vulnerability
What’s In ........................................................................................... ..13
What New ......................................................................................... ..13
What Is It........................................................................................... ..14
What’s More ...................................................................................... ..16
What I Have Learned………………………………………………………16
What I Can Do ……………………………………………………………..16

Assessment: (Post-Test)………………………………………………………………….17
Additional Activity ................................................................................................. …18
Key to Answers .................................................................................................... …19
References …………………………………………………………………………….........19

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 Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Exposure and Vulnerability

What I Need to Know

Many climate change adaptation efforts aim to address the implications of potential
changes in the frequency, intensity, and duration of weather and climate events that affect the risk
of extreme impacts on human society. That risk is determined not only by the climate and weather
events (the hazards) but also by exposure and vulnerability to these hazards. Therefore, effective
adaptation and disaster risk management strategies and practices also depend on a rigorous
understanding of the dimensions of exposure and vulnerability, as well as proper assessment of
changes in those dimensions.
This module is about the discussion on areas and locations exposed to hazards,
disaster from different perspective, and what does vulnerability means. It consists of the following
lessons:
• Lesson 1 – Areas and Locations Exposed to Hazards
• Lesson 2 – Disaster from Different Perspectives
• Lesson 3 – What is vulnerability?

Learning Objectives
After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. Identify the different areas/locations exposed to hazards that may

lead to disaster
2. Analyze disaster from different perspectives (physical,
psychological, socio-cultural, economic, political, and biological).
3. Explain the meaning of vulnerability.

How to Learn this Module

To attain the goals of this module, please do the following;
1. Take your time to read and understand the concepts in this module.
2. Follow the instruction carefully in every given task.
3. Answers all the given test and exercise
4. Work on the activities in this module and in every performancetask given.
5. Take the Post-Test after you are done with all the lessons and activities in the module
6. Familiarize yourselves with the given terms.
7. Meet with your teacher. Ask him/her about any difficulty or confusion you have encountered
in this module.
8. Finally, prepare and gather all your outputs and submit them to your teacher.
9. Please write all your answers of the tests, activities, exercises, and others on your separate
activity notebook.

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Icons of this Module
ICON LABEL IN THE MODULE DETAILS
What I Need to Know This part contains learning
objectives that are set for you to
Learning Objectives
learn as you go along the module

What I Know? This is an assessment as to your

level of knowledge to the subject
Pre-Assessment
matter at hand, meant specifically
to gauge prior related knowledge
What’s In? This part connects the current
lesson with the previous lesson by
Review Activity
going over points that were taught
or learned previously
What’s New This part introduces the new
lesson through various activities
Motivational Activity
like story, an activity, a poem, a
song, or a situation
What is it This a brief discussion of the
lesson as a way to deepen your
Lesson Proper
discovery and understanding of the
concept
What’s More These are follow-up activities that
are intended for you to practice
Performance Task
further in order to master the
competencies
What I Have Learned Activities designed to process what
you have learned from the lesson
Generalization

What I Can Do? These are tasks that are designed

to showcase your skills and
Application
knowledge gained and applied into
real life concerns and situations
Assessment This part evaluate your level of
mastery in achieving the learners
Post-Assessment
objectives

Additional Activities Thus are activities in any form that

can increase the strength of the
Enrichment
response and tends to induce
repetitions of actions/learning

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 What I Know

Identify the following hazards as to natural or man-made. Write N for natural and M for
Man-made hazard.

_________ 1. Hailstorm
_________ 2. Earthquake
_________ 3. Oil Spill
_________ 4. Terrorism
_________ 5. Chemical Waste
_________ 6. Sinkhole
_________ 7. Storm Surge
_________ 8. Factory Waste
_________ 9. Tsunami
_________ 10. Pollution

Lesson Areas and Locations Exposed to

1 Hazards

What’s In
Natural disasters affect human life in different dimensions. Disasters can cause
displacement of population, health risks, food scarcity, and emotional aftershocks.

What’s New
List 10 hazards in your house, your answers should be specific to certain locations in the
classroom (e.g. the shelf at the corner near the door can fall on someone).

What is it

• Exposed to Natural Hazards

Areas/Locations Exposed to:
Coastal Areas Strom surge, tsunami or tidal waves
Reclaimed Areas Flooding, sink hole
Near fault lines Earthquake
On foot of denuded mountains Mudslide/Landslide
Near volcanoes (danger zones) Volcanic Eruption-pyroclastic materials,
lahar flow, lava flow and ash fall
River Banks and esteros Flooding, flash floods
Open fields Thunderstorm, hailstorm, blizzard
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 • Exposed to Man-made Hazard
Areas/Locations Expose to:
Near Oil Depots Oil spill, pollution
Near Mining Projects Toxic waste-heavy metal, lead, mercury,
nitric acid, etc.
Near Chemical Plants Chemical fumes, chemical waste
Near Nuclear Plants Nuclear waste, possible technical failure,
leaks, or worse accidental explosion
Near Factories Factory waste, pollution
Unsafe building structures Fire
Public Places in Mega Cities Terrorism

What’s More
Based on you understanding of the discussion above, identify some barangays/towns/cities
in the Philippines that are exposed to hazard. Using a Table, indicate what potential hazards these
areas/locations are exposed to.

What I Have Learned

Make the statement complete by writing what have you learned from the lesson.
I have learned that ______________________________________________.

What I Can Do
Based on your understanding of the discussion above, identify some barangay/towns/cities
in the Philippines that are exposed to hazard. Using a table, indicate what potential hazards these
areas/locations are exposed to.

Lesson Disaster from Different Perspectives

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What’s In
In the previous lesson, we have discussed the areas/locations in the Philippines that
are exposed to different hazards. Communities in these areas definitely need knowledge and
awareness on disaster risk reduction and management.

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 What’s New
Arrange the following letters to make it a one word, definitions of the word are on the right
side.
________________1. CEPITEVRESP -the capacity to view things in
their true relations or relative
importance.

__________________2. ITILPOLAC - interested in or active in politics

__________________3. ONCEOCIM - relating to economics or the
Economy

__________________4. LACIGOLOHCYSP - the study of the mind

__________________5. OICOS – LUCLARUT - common traditions, habits,

patterns and beliefs present in a
population group.

What is it
A disaster is a result of a vast ecological breakdown in the relation between human; a
serious or sudden event on such a scale that the stricken community needs extraordinary efforts
to cope with it, often with outside help or international aid.
Disaster is analyzed from different perspective as follows:

PHYSICAL PERSPECTIVE
From this view disasters is defined as a phenomenon that can cause damage to the
physical elements such as buildings, infrastructures, including people and their properties, e.g.
houses and environmental sources of living. Physical effects are the most visible and quantifiable
effects of a disaster. In considered in data recording. Assessment of disaster is focused on the
following questions:
How many families are affected? (displacement, injury, death)
How many houses are damaged or washed out? (in case of super typhoons)
How many buildings collapsed or are damaged? (in case of an earthquake)
How many roads, bridges, dams and other infrastructures are damaged? (in case of floods,
lahar flows and earthquakes)
What is the extent of damage in agricultural industry? (crop, losses, damaged fish cages,
wash out rice fields, etc.)

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PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Psychological research has shown that disasters can cause serious mental health
consequences for victims. These consequences take the form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD) and a variety of other disorders and symptoms which have been less investigated. The
more stress, defined in a variety of ways, within the disaster, the more likely there are to be
emotional consequences.
In psychological context a disaster is regarded as an occurrence involving an unexpected or
uncontrollable event rather than a long-term experience. In other word, a disaster is something
that could happen within a hazard rather than the hazard itself. Hence, one very important
component of the recovery phase, aside from relief services is debriefing of psychological support
system.
Other psychological effects of a disaster are the following:
• Emotional effects: Shock, terror, irritability, blame, anger, guilt, grief or sadness,
numbing, helplessness, loss of pleasure derived from familiar activities, difficulty feeling
happy, difficulty feeling loved.
• Cognitive effects: impaired concentration, impaired decision-making ability, memory
impairment, disbelief, confusion, nightmares, decreased self-esteem, decreased self-
efficacy, self-blame, intrusive thoughts, memories, dissociation, (e.g.,tunnel vision,
dreamlike or ‘spacey’ felling).
• Physical effects: fatigue, exhaustion, insomnia, cardiovascular strain, startle response,
hyper arousal, increased physical pain, reduced immune response, headaches,
gastrointestinal upset, decreased appetite, decreased libido, vulnerability to illness.
• Interpersonal effects: Increased relational conflict, social withdrawal, reduced
relational intimacy, alienation, impaired work performance, decreased satisfaction,
distract, externalization of blame, externalization of vulnerability, feeling abandoned.

SOCIO-CULTURAL PERSPECTIVE
What the people living at risk know and do about natural hazards and disaster risks is
mediated by a range of factors including social conditions (such as age, gender, wealth, ethnicity)
and cultural settings (language, beliefs, traditions, customs). In most places people are also more
or less exposed by information and ideas coming from the “outside”—the world outside their own
cultural setting. At the same time, the field of natural hazards and disasters has developed its own
debates, framework, and notions such as vulnerability, resilience, and ‘risk’. But communities may
have different priorities and notions of natural hazards and disaster risk. People’s socio-cultural
background may affect their response to disasters at the different stages of disaster management.
Hence, from the socio-cultural point of view, a disaster is analyzed based on how people
respond having as parameter their social conditions and cultural settings. These two factors are
important determinants of the degree of risk, resilience and vulnerability of those affected. That is
why some ethnic groups can easily cope with disasters compared to other groups

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ECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE
From an economic perspective, a natural disaster can be defined as a natural event that
causes a perturbation to the functioning of the economic system, with a significant negative impact
on assets, production factors, output, employment, and consumption. One salient component of
assessing the impact of disaster impact from this view is defining direct economic cost and indirect
losses.

POLITICAL PERSPECTIVE
From this view, natural disasters are commonly thought to be less politically contentious
than armed conflicts. Yet, a closer look reveals that politics are deeply wedded to both the impact
of a natural disaster and the subsequent delivery f humanitarian assistance. Political
considerations before, during, and after a natural disaster can determine who is most at risk, who
can intervene, what actions will be taken, and who will benefit from those actions. Some case
studies demonstrate that economic, social, and political factors can significantly amplify the
devastating impact of natural disaster.
Governmentality or deliverance of government services to constituents can be plus or
minus factor in disaster risk reduction and management. Government interventions should be
present in the following phases of Disaster Risk Reduction and Management: 1) Prevention, 2)
Mitigation, 3) Preparedness, and 4) Recovery. Failure to do so adversely affects the capacity and
opportunities of those affected to cope with and recover from the impacts of disaster.

ENVIRONMENTAL PERSPECTIVE
Disasters are not random an do not occur by accident. They are the convergence of
hazards and vulnerable conditions. Disasters not only reveal underlying social, economic, political,
and environment problems, but unfortunately contribute to worsening them. Such events pose
serious challenges to development, as they erode hard-earned gains in terms of political, social
and educational progress, as well as infrastructure and technological development. The
Millennium Declaration recognizes the risk to development stemming from disasters and calls on
the global community to “intensify our collective efforts to reduce the number and effects of natural
hazards and man-made disasters”. Several studies have recently highlighted the fact that
investments in development are in jeopardy unless precautionary action is taken toward reducing
disaster risk. Yet few development organizations adopt a precautionary approach in the design
and management of projects and fewer still recognize the role of environmental management in
reducing disaster risk.

What’s More
Give one example of each disaster from the different perspective.

1. Physical Perspective
2. Psychological Perspective
3. Socio-Cultural Perspective
4. Economic Perspective
5. Political Perspective
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 6. Environmental Perspective

What I Have Learned

Direction: Read the newspaper article. Based on the details of the articles, analyze its
impacts from the different perspective enumerated below.

a. Physical Perspective
b. Psychological Perspective
c. Socio-Cultural Perspective
d. Economic Perspective
e. Political Perspective
f. Environmental Perspective

Surprise

Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz said many people were caught by surprise when water
rose one meter (three feet) high in less than an hour, forcing people onto roofs. “Most of them
were already sleeping when floodwaters entered their homes. This the worst flooding our city has
experienced in years. “The national disaster agency said it could not estimate crop and property
damage because emergency workers, including soldiers and police officers, were evacuating
families and recovering casualties. Benito Ramos, head of the NDRRMC told reporters Mindanao
residents were warned about the dangers posed by the storm days earlier but elected not to move
to safe areas. He said Mindanao was rarely visited by storms, even as 20 major storms strike the
Philippines annually, with the most hitting Luzon, the largest and most populous island in the
Southeast Asian archipelago. “We expect huge damage, especially on agriculture,” Ramos said.
Two of the three rivers that flow into the port of Iligan had overflowed, he added, and a popular
radio commentator was among those killed. Other affected areas on Mindanao included Bukidnon
province, where 47 people died, while nine other people were killed elsewhere on the island, Pang
of the Red Cross said.

What I Can Do
Read an account of Super Typhoon Yolanda that struck Samar and Leyte in 2013. Analyze its
impacts from the different perspectives enumerated below:
a. Physical perspective d. Economic Perspective
b. Psychological Perspective e. Political Perspective
c. Socio-Cultural Perspective f. Environmental Perspective

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Lesson
3 What is Vulnerability?

What’s In
The severity of the impacts of disasters and other extreme weather and climate
events depends strongly on the level of vulnerability and exposure to these events.

What’s New

If we are going to shake the table, which object would be affected the most by shaking?
Why do you think it would be affected the most?

What is it
Vulnerability is defined as “the characteristics and circumstances of a community, system or
asset that make it susceptible to the damaging effects of a hazard”. As indicated by United
Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR), “there are many aspects of
vulnerability arising from various physical, social, economic, and environmental factors. Examples
may include poor design and construction of buildings, inadequate protection of assets, lack of
public information and awareness, limited official recognition of risks and preparedness measures,
and disregard for wise environmental management”.

Reasons Why Certain Sectors of Society are More Vulnerable to Disaster than Others
Vulnerability can be seen as the result of a process in which various different things cause
a population to be more vulnerable. This can be split into demographic and socio-economic. They
can also be discussed through the level of community preparedness and the ability of a
community to manage the after effects of a hazard event.
1. Demographic Factors
Population Density – the more dense the population, the more efficient a response
should be, considering the number of people that might be affected by a disaster.
Age of Population – very old and very young populations are less mobile and able to
respond to hazard events well. This makes them more vulnerable compared to others, and this
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requires more attention from the government and other support agencies especially during
emergency evacuation or relocation.
Distribution of population – regardless of density, populations may be distributed
differently within hazard area, e.g. elderly people on lower floors of apartment buildings, or
concentrations of highly vulnerable people in poorer areas of a city.
2. Socio-economic factors
Wealth – low income populations are less likely to be well prepared. Part of the
preparation is having a Survival Kit that includes tools to be used, emergency food stock and
water that could last for at least 3 to 5 days. Poor families will find a hard time to do such
preparation due to lack of money to spend.
Education – Education programs such as the Metro Manila Development Authority’s
(MMDA) shake drill can instruct populations on how to deal with hazard events, like the “Big One”-
the anticipated 7.8 magnitude earthquake that may strike Metro Manila anytime
Nature of Society – In highly centralized government structures, efficient emergency
response may be the result of careful planning and training of personnel. However, it can also lead
to bureaucracy and a lack of autonomous decision making, which slows down distribution of relief
goods and emergency response efforts in case of extreme emergency.
Understanding of the area - Recent immigrants are likely to struggle to cope with
hazard effects compared to established popuplation. Understanding the area is salient factor to be
considered in Disaster Preparedness Planning, and this will give greater advantage to the
established or original settlers in a particular area affected by disaster.
3. Community Preparedness-
Building Codes – Rigoruos and applied building codes protect most buildings from
collapse during earthquakes. This should be seriously considered by the government in the
issuance of building permitsand licenses for land development.
Scientific monitoring and early warning systems – Establised monitoring system can
prepare people for the onslaught of any kind of disaster
Coomunication works – Countries with good quality widespread communication
networks allow messages to be quickly shared. Communication plays a very important and crucial
role in times of disaster. Communication Plan is a very salient component of Emergency Planning
that should not be left out.
Emergency Planning – Preparation is the key element of pervention. Preparation for
a disaster is embodied in an Emergency Plan. Where monitoring and communication are in place,
the emergency planning islikely to prepare a person or a group (family) for such events and take
action based on data, rather tha prediction.
4. Dealing with the after effects
Insurance cover – Another important aspect of preparation is how to deal with the
after effects of a disaster. Parts of their preparation, individuals purchase insurance policies to
mitigate their losses, thus preparing them better for similar future events.

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 Emergency Personnel – These are trained for community preparedness. The
availability of such personnel will vary depending on the time of day and location of the hazard
event.
Aid Request – Outside help in the form of humanitarian aid is necessary during
disaster. However, it should be fast and efficient. Inefficiency and mismangement of aids,
especially foreign aids, will possibly result to further deaths and loss of property. Foreign aids in
the form of monetary andmaterial aid poured in immediately after the onsluaght of Typhoon
Yolanda.

What’s More
Explain what vulnerability means.

What I Have Learned

Answer the following questions:
1. What are the conditions that make you vulnerable?
2. Does vulnerability contributes to the adverse impacts of hazards to
the community?
3. If yes, why do you think so?

What I Can Do
Accomplish the following Table below. Identify the different elements that are exposed to a
particular hazard, and briefly state their vulnerabilities.
Elements Exposed to Hazard Vulnerability
Hazard

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 Assessment
Multiple Choice Test: Choose the correct answer of your choice.
For numbers 1-5, identify what areas or locations are the following hazards exposed
to:
1. Earthquake
a. coastal areas b. reclaimed areas
c. near fault line d. near volcanoes (danger zone)
2. Oil Spill
a. Near mining projects b. Near oil depots
c. near chemical plants d. near nuclear plants
3. Flash Floods
a. open fields b. river banks and estero
c. near volcanoes (danger zone) d. Near factories
4. Storm Surge
a. coastal areas b. reclaimed areas
c. near fault line d. near volcanoes (danger zone)
5. Thunderstorm
a. open fields b. river banks and estero
c. near volcanoes (danger zone) d. Near factories
6. It is defined as a phenomenon that can cause damage to physical
elements such as buildings, infrastructures, including people and their
properties.
a. physical perspective b. psychological perspective
c. Socio-cultural perspective d. Economic perspective
7. One salient component of assessing the impact of disaster impact from this
view is defining direct economic cost and indirect losses.
a. physical perspective b. psychological perspective
c. Socio-cultural perspective d. Economic perspective

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8. A disaster is analyzed based on how people respond having as parameter
their social conditions and cultural settings.
a. physical perspective b. psychological perspective
c. Socio-cultural perspective d. Economic perspective
9. A natural disasters are commonly thought to be less politically contentious
than armed conflicts. Politics are deeply wedded to both the impact of a
natural disaster and the subsequent delivery of humanitarian assistance.
a. Psychological Perspective b. Socio-cultural perspective
c. Political Perspective d. Physical perspective
10. Research has shown that disasters can cause serious mental health
consequences for victims. These consequences take the form of Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and a variety of other disorders and
symptoms which have been less investigated.
a. physical perspective b. psychological perspective
c. Socio-cultural perspective d. Economic perspective

A Additional Activities
Conduct a simple research about Guadalupe Bridge in Edsa, Makati. Analyze and explain
why it is more vulnerable to earthquake as compared to other bridges in Metro Manila.

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Answers to Questions
Pre Test

1. N 6. N
2. N 7. N
3. M 8.M
4. M 9. N
5. M 10.M

Assessment

1. C 6. A
2. B 7. D
3. B 8. C
4. A 9. C
5. A 10. B

-End of Module-

References

Quebral, Villamor S, 2016. Disaster Readiness & Risk Reduction. Quezon City, Metro Manila,
Lorimar Publishing Inc.

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