Unit 1 Basic Concept of Disaster and Disaster Risk 2

St.
Bernadette College of Valenzuela

#6121 Gen. T. De Leon, Valenzuela City
Senior High School Department
STUDY GUIDE
DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION

UNIT 1: BASIC CONCEPT OF DISASTER AND DISASTER RISK
LESSON 1.1 UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF DISASTER
Everywhere these days, we hear disasters, prompting us to pause and think that this planet called Earth that
we live in is becoming more and more dangerous. Every time we hear of disasters, we are inclined to assess and
believe that they have become part of everyone’s life. Every now and then, we encounter news of disaster so
powerful that they render us defenceless. To humans, such disasters are unwanted events because of their negative
effects on life, property, and the environment, and because of the manner by which they strike- in many case, fast
and fierce, and without warning. But disasters are not totally bad altogether. To Mother Earth, these are her ways
of attaining ecological equilibrium or balance of nature when agitated. More often than not, disasters bring harm
rather than good, and it is for this reason that we pay a great deal of attention to them. Our desire to escape natures
harm further drives us to become more conscious of what disasters can do to us.
The Philippines will never be free from hazards due to

its location. Being located in the tropics and within the “Ring of
Fire” means that the Philippines constantly faces seismic,
volcanic, and hydrometeorological hazards. Even as the
population continues to grow, only few are informed; and even
they can be caught off-guard when natural hazards occur. When
people are unprepared, a hazard could quickly turn into a
disaster. With the dangers that we face, how do we cope with the
hazards? Are we thinking ways to be able to lessen the impact
of disasters?
Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 1
Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

St. Bernadette College of Valenzuela
STUDY GUIDE
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson the students should be able to:
 Define the meaning of disaster
 Differentiate the types of disaster
 Determine the cause of disaster
 Differentiate the risk factors underlying disasters
 Explain how and when an event becomes a disaster
 Described the effects of disaster on human life and the environment
Essential Questions
1) What is disaster?
2) How is disaster different from hazard?
3) How are disaster formed?
4) What are the different types of disaster?
5) What are the effects of disaster?
6) How and when the event becomes a disaster?
7) What are the ways to locate or identify are exposed to hazard?
Review of Previous Topic

 The natural processes occurring in the atmosphere, biosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere cause
changes in the environment.
 Formation of clouds, rains, and winds in the atmosphere result to changes in weather.
 Deforestation and urbanization are some human activities that contribute to climate change and loss
of animal habitat.
 Landforms like mountains and volcanoes are formed from the movement of plate tectonics.
WHAT IS DISASTER?
Disaster comes from Greek words “dis” and “aster” which
means “bad star” as reference to events which are attributed to
unfavourable positioning of the heavenly bodies. It is believed that
disasters are punishment to men and cannot do anything to avoid
disasters. Disaster is a “serious disruption of the functioning of a
community or a society involving widespread losses or impacts,
which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope
using its own resources”. The occurrence of disaster depends on the
interplay between a hazard and vulnerability of populations
exposed.

STUDY GUIDE
Disasters ay either be predicted or unpredicted. Predicted calamities like typhoon become a disaster when
its effect could no longer be controlled and disturbs people, damages properties and unsettles events. Unpredicted
calamities are more disastrous because people wouldn’t know when these calamities would struck a place, person,
or a thing. Examples of these are lightning, earthquake, and tsunami.
THE FORMULA OF DISASTER
To understand the occurrence of disasters, a formula was

developed to simplify its concept. The occurrence of
disaster is presented by International Federation of Red
Cross.
CONCEPT OF DISASTER
Disaster is a result of the combination of vulnerability and hazard. The result which will be mitigated by the
capacity. Capacity pertains to the capability of the people to reduce its risk or mitigate its devastating effects.
Vulnerability pertains to the weakened capability of a person or group of persons to prepare, manage, and recover
from the impact of a natural or man-made disaster. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
also defined vulnerability as a condition resulting from physical, social, economic, and environmental factors or
processes, which increases the susceptibility of a community to impact of a hazard.
Sample Application of Vulnerability
1) A community or barangay which is not knowledgeable in disaster risk reduction and management is a
vulnerable victim of disaster.
2) A member of the family who refused to evacuate from the house, despite repeated warnings from Office of
the Disaster Riske Reduction Management is a vulnerable victim of flood or landslide.

STUDY GUIDE
Hazard pertains to any condition or circumstances that endangers a person, thing, or situation. A hazard can be
considered a disaster if it poses an actual harm to life and environment. It can be classified based on its origins:
natural and man-made.
 Natural hazards are caused by an abrupt or slow onset of naturally occurring phenomena which can be
biological, geological, hydrological, meteorological, and climatological in origin.
Table 1. Types of Natural Hazards

NATURAL HAZARD DESCRIPTION
1. Biological Hazard Disease, Epidemics, Plague
2. Geological Hazard Earthquake, Tsunami, Landslide, Volcanic Eruption, Subsidence
3. Hydrological Hazard Avalanches, Floods
4. Meteorological Hazard Storm Surge, Cyclones, Hurricanes, Tornadoes
5. Climatological Hazard Drought, Wildfires
 Man-made hazards are extreme hazardous events that are caused by human beings and occur in or close
to human settlements. The events leading up to a man-made hazard may be the result of deliberate or
negligent human actions, but their impact can be equally as devastating. Some examples of man-made
disaster emergencies include chemical spills, war, hazardous material spills, explosions, chemical or
biological attacks, nuclear blast, train accidents, plane crashes, or groundwater contamination.

STUDY GUIDE
Capacity pertains to the ability of every individual or group or the

community as a whole to mitigate the effects of hazards or causes
of disaster. The impacts of a disaster can be reduced if proper
mitigation measures are done. Mitigation refers to the act of
preventing or minimizing the effects of a disaster by introducing
precautionary measures before it strikes a community.
Check Your Understanding

A. Directions: Write TRUE if the statement is correct, otherwise write FALSE.
______ 1.Disasters involves the interplay of a natural phenomenon and exposed vulnerable elements
______ 2.Disaster risk is a function of exposure, vulnerability, hazard and capacity to cope
______ 3.A hazard in itself constitutes a disaster
______ 4.An event is a hazard even if no elements are exposed to danger
______ 5.Disaster risk can increase if capacity of the citizens is neglected
B. Direction: Identify the word/s being asked.
______1. It comes from the Greek word meaning “bad star”.
______2. It refers to a condition resulting from physical, social, economic, and environmental factors or
processes, which increases the susceptibility of a community to impact of a hazard.
______3. A _______ is a threat to life, environment, or property.
______4. These are caused by an abrupt or slow onset of naturally occurring phenomena which can be
biological, geological, hydrological, meteorological, and climatological in origin.
______5. It refers to the act of preventing or minimizing the effects of a disaster by introducing
precautionary measures before it strikes a community.

STUDY GUIDE
Let’s Check In!

Direction: Work with a partner to answer this mnemonic race. Think of related words that starts
with the specific mnemonic letters below.
Let’s Step Up!

Direction: Read the given article and answer the following questions.
Article Title: Japan to Offer Disaster Info through Car Navigation Systems
Disaster Alerts in Roads
The Japan government is set to offer disaster information to drivers through vehicle navigation systems
using Japan’s satellite system. Tokyo will introduce the service as early as 2018, after many people in
vehicles were not able to obtain crucial information quickly enough during the 2011 earthquake and
tsunami. The government plans to introduce the system on a trial basis in selected five municipal
governments this 2018 and hopes to expand the number to 20 in 2021.
Guide Questions:
1. What is the new technology developed by Japan for disaster information?

2. Where will the service be first available?
3. When will the service be launched?
4. Who will benefit the service?
5. Why is there a need to develop this kind of service?

STUDY GUIDE
LESSON 1.2 UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF DISASTER RISK

Risk is caused by hazard. Risk is the assessed damage to a person or property as a result of hazard. Risk that is
caused by man-made or natural disasters is called disaster risk. Disaster risk is the consequence of the interaction
between a hazard and the characteristics that make people and places vulnerable and exposed. The elements of risk
includes:
1. Hazard – any phenomenon that can potentially cause damage to life, property, or environment.
2. Exposure – any element (people, property, or system) that is present in a hazard and is prone to potential
loss.
3. Vulnerability - feature of a community that makes them prone and exposed to the negative impacts of
hazard.
To understand disaster risks, one must also consider the community’s capacity to protect itself against disasters.
The ability of a community to withstand, accommodate, and recover from a disaster is called resilience.
According to UNISDR, 1.6 billion people have

been killed in disasters worldwide since 1980. It is also
estimated that global average annual loss will increase up
to US$415 billion by 2030. Disaster risk is measured and
assessed to reduce the number of deaths and resources lost
as mentioned in the example. Analysing disaster loss from
previous years are employed to plan mitigation procedures
to prevent and estimate future disaster losses. Information
gathered from hazards, exposures, vulnerabilities, and
damages will give an accurate risk assessment. A risk
assessment is made to estimate the potential economic,
infrastructure, and social impacts.

STUDY GUIDE
RISK FACTORS UNDERLYING DISASTER

As defined above, disaster risk has a direct
relationship with hazards, exposure, and vulnerability.
This means that as hazard or exposure or vulnerability
increased disaster risk also increases.
RISK FACTORS UNDERLYING DISASTER

There are several factors that affect the degree of disaster risk in a community. These factors can intensify or lessen
the effects of disaster. These factors can be classified into physical, psychological, socio-cultural, economic, and
biological aspects.
1. Physical – This includes the concrete objects in a community that can help or harm an individual during a
disaster. Examples are availability of fire exits during a fire, sturdiness of infrastructure or the ability of a
building to withstand earthquakes.
2. Psychological – It includes the mental state of an individual, like the ability of an individual to respond to
a disaster and fear.
3. Socio-cultural – This includes traditions, religion, and social statuses in society. Examples include
community folklore, presence of bayanihan system, etc.
4. Economic – This includes resources in the community and the income source of individuals such as farming
and employment.
5. Biological – This includes the flora and fauna in the environment, their health, and its diseases.
AIMS OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION
Disaster risk reduction aims to decrease the risk level in

communities. It implements policies and measures to
control potential risks like poor urban and rural planning,
poverty, and poor government and local capacities.
Disaster risk reduction is implemented in order to:
 Reduce vulnerability to life, property, or

environment to an existing hazard;
 Reduce degree of exposure to hazards; and
 Increase preparedness through proper mitigation
procedures.

STUDY GUIDE
REDUCING DISASTER RISK

Below are the recommended measures to reduce disaster risk:
1. Lessen the rate of vulnerability by empowering people in disaster risk reduction.

2. Keep exposure away from hazard by relocating people and property.
3. Developing disaster preparedness. The conduct of drills like fire drills, earthquake drills, and other
emergency drills may help mitigate the effect of disasters through enhanced preparation of the vulnerable
community.
4. Empower the people. This is possible through conducting information dive and seminars to communities
which are exposed to disasters.
A. Directions: Identify the following question. Write your answer on the space provided.
______ 1. The ability of a community to withstand, accommodate, and recover from a disaster.
______ 2. It includes the mental state of an individual, like the ability of an individual to respond to a
disaster and fear.
______ 3. This includes the flora and fauna in the environment, their health, and its diseases.
______ 4. This includes permanent or temporary damage to physical infrastructures like roads, networks,
bridges, dams, buildings, houses, etc.
______ 5. This includes resources in the community and the income source of individuals such as farming
and employment.
Let’s Check In!
Directions: Analyze and understand the following statement/s whether it is Physical, Psychological,
Socio-Cultural, Economic, Political, and Biological Risk Factors. Write your answer only.
1. Health-care workers
2. Increased noise levels and lack of daylight in a built environment
3. Low self-esteem, perceived incompetence, negative view of life.
4. Increase of specific diseases
5. Traumatic life experiences, such as rape or serving in the armed forces

STUDY GUIDE
Let’s Sum Up!

Instruction: Give your brief answers on the following items. Observe the use of correct grammar and
spelling.
1. Explain the concept of disaster risk based on your own understanding.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe the effects of disasters on one’s life.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Give examples on things you can do to lessen the impact of possible disasters.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

STUDY GUIDE
LESSON 1.3 EFFECTS OF DISASTER
Every year, millions of people are affected by natural and human-caused disasters and impacts can be
devastating. From damage to buildings, physical injuries, and major adverse events such as potential catastrophic
loss of life or death. They are often unexpected and can leave whole communities in shock. People who live through
a disaster can experience emotional distress. Feelings of anxiety, constant worrying, trouble sleeping, and other
depression-like symptoms are common responses to disasters before, during, and after the event. Many people are
able to “bounce back” from disasters with help from family and the community, but others may need additional
support to cope and move forward on the path of recovery. Anyone can be at risk, including survivors living in the
impacted areas and first responders and recovery workers.
According to Child Fund International, 8

out of 10 world cities most at risk to disaster is
found in the Philippines. Natural disasters have
affected over 4.4 billion people claiming the loss
of 1.3 million people and US$ 2 trillion since 1994
(United Nations, 2014). Those are some of the
devastating impacts of a disaster.
Devastations caused by disasters do not

just cause death and damage to property. There are
other several physical, medical, and psychological
aspects in a community affected by calamities. The
severity of effects in these aspects are due to
several factors.

STUDY GUIDE
EFFECTS OF DISASTER ON ONE’S LIFE

Psychological Impact
The devastating impacts of disaster can be traumatic for any person who has experienced it. Exposure to deaths and
catastrophe can be unforgettable to anyone especially to children. The most frequently observed initial reaction to
the aftermath of disaster is shock. In psychology, shock is what referred to as acute stress reaction, a psychological
reaction arising from a traumatic or terrifying event, or witnessing the unfolding of one. The common symptoms of
an acute stress reaction are emotional detachment, muteness, amnesia, flashbacks, and avoidance of stimulus that
reminds the person of traumatic event.
There are two types of acute stress reaction: sympathetic and parasympathetic reaction. A sympathetic reaction is
what is normally referred to as a flight or fight response. It is characterized by increased awareness, accelerated
pulse and heart rate, dilated pupils, and heightened anxiety (matinding pagkabalisa). A parasympathetic reaction
is sometimes called rest and digest reaction. It is characterized by decrease heart rate and respiration rates and
sometimes by a temporary loss of consciousness (hinihimatay or pagkawala ng malay).
Many children could also develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after experiencing such disastrous
events. PTSD is a serious psychological condition from extreme trauma. Inability to notice and address it early, can
lead to a lifetime of emotional distress and psychological damage.
Physical Impact
The immediate impact of disasters is damage to private and public property and infrastructures. Bridges and ports
are destroyed, electric poles are toppled, houses are washed away, etc. Sometimes the damage done is to severe in
which the entire physical structure of the community is obliterated. Such as in case, for example, when Super
Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Super Typhoon Yolanda, made landfall in the Philippines on November 8, 2013,
as a Category 5 storm. It laid waste to the Visayas group of islands, the country's central region and home to 17
million people.
Socio-cultural Impact
When affected community cannot quickly reorganize, and recover from severe disaster, its members either stay
indefinitely in evacuation centers or migrate to distant regions not affected by disaster. During the aftermath of
disaster, the old social structure is temporarily broken. The temporary dissolution of old social structures forces
people to establish new social connections in evacuation centers. An esprit de corps emerges; the disaster compels
people to act collectively for survival. The aftermath of a disaster can be an occasion for the bayanihan spirit to
come to life again.

STUDY GUIDE
Economic Impact
Disasters will generally affect the economy of the country, specifically that of the family. These effects may be
characterized by: loss of job of a family member, loss of business by the merchants, damage bridges, buildings,
roads, which will be repaired by the government at the expense of the country’s budget, forfeiture of investments
from other countries, decline of tourism industry due to damaged sceneries, agricultural damage may result to
shortage of supply of major agricultural products in the country such as rice, vegetables, and fruits, and may also
result in the loss of livelihood like poultry industry being infested by plague or those which were carried away by
flash floods.
Biological Impact
Severe typhoons, floods, and tsunamis physically destroy plants and animals. But since the physical impact of
disasters can significantly change the chemical make-up soil and land topography, it also significantly impacts the
ecosystem of the affected region. Such in the case, with the volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. The eruption dumped
more than 0.7 cubic miles of debris on the low land surrounding areas of the volcano. It rendered agricultural lans
unusable for farming. It created temporary dams, silted streams and lakes, directly affecting the habitat of terrestrial
and aquatic organisms.
When a community is struck by a severe natural disaster, its residents are gathered into evacuation centers. However,
evacuation centers also contribute to the spreading of contagious diseases. These diseases are generally caused by
certain microorganism collectively called as pathogens. The common microorganisms that explode contagious
diseases are; E coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella dysenteriae, Salmonella thyphi, Vibrio, cholera, Bacilus
cereus, Hepatitis A virus, etc.
HUMAN RESILIENCE
Humans are naturally resilient. Resilience is the ability of
individuals to recover from the impacts of a disaster. There are
several factors that increase the resilience of an individual:
1. Social support includes emotional support by sharing

traumatic experiences, coping mechanisms, and finding a
sense of comfort from others.
2. Coping confidence is the self-efficiency to believe that one

can survive any disaster and reduce mental distress in the
future. This method of coping includes values like optimism,
hope, and confidence.

STUDY GUIDE
A. Identification: Write the concept or terminologies described by each of the sentence.

______ 1. It is the international name of super typhoon Yolanda.
______ 2. These disasters refer to hydrological, meteorological, or geological events.
______ 3. This is the general term applied to a microorganism that causes diseases.
______ 4. The ______ is formed after the disaster and compels people to act collectively for survival.
______ 5. It is characterized by increased awareness, accelerated pulse and heart rate, dilated pupils, and
heightened anxiety
______ 6. It is characterized by decrease heart rate and respiration rates and sometimes by a temporary loss
of consciousness
______ 7. It is a serious psychological condition from extreme trauma from which a person’s frequently
experience panic attacks, extreme startle, anxiety, and depression.
______ 8. A sympathetic reaction is what is normally referred to as a ______response.
______ 9. In psychology, shock is what referred to as _____.
______ 10. A parasympathetic reaction is what is normally referred to as a ______response.
Let’s Check In!

Instruction: Identify if the following are effects or resilience factors in after disasters.
1. Sharing traumatic experiences to recover
2. Food shortage
3. Damage of infrastructure
4. Optimism
5. Emotional distress
Let’s Sum Up!

Instruction: Compare and contrast the two terms below. Provide examples found in your own community.
DISASTER RISK RESILIENCE FACTORS

STUDY GUIDE
LESSON 1.4 HOW AND WHEN AN EVENT BECOMES A DISASTER
To understand how and when an event becomes a disaster, one must know the difference between a hazard
and a disaster. It was discussed in Lesson 1 that disaster is defined as a sudden, calamitous event that can cause
damage to property and death. On the other hand, hazard is a natural or man-made event that can potentially harm
a population. Hazard can be considered a disaster when there are already negative impacts to human life and their
properties. For example, a tsunami that hits a deserted island cannot be considered a disaster since there are no
human inhabitants in the island.
Hazards are a risk factor in the occurrence of disasters. Thus, a disaster can be prevented if the risk brought
by a hazard can be prevented or reduced. For instance, a typhoon is a natural hazard that can be predicted using
weather satellites. Its impacts can be reduced if proper mitigation procedures are done such as information
dissemination and evacuation before the typhoon strikes in a community. This is called proactive approach to
emergency preparedness. What will happen if no measures are made to prepare for a disaster? Or if the disaster is
unforeseen? For example, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Central Visayas in 2013 killed 222 people, resulted
to 350 000 displaced victims, and destroyed 73 000 buildings. Earthquakes are unforeseen natural hazards due to
the movement of plates in the earth’s crust.
Response during the occurrence of a disaster is important to lessen damages. If a hazard is predicted in an
area, agencies should warn the citizens in the area. It can be in the form of news announcements done in various
media sites and community evacuations. During the actual disaster, emergency response teams should be fast in
recovering individuals trapped in unfortunate situations to reduce the number of casualties. Always remember that
a hazard only becomes a disaster when it impacts human life and damages properties. The greater the number of
people in a risky area, the greater chance it will become a catastrophe. Identifying communities or populations who
have a higher risk during disasters can help protect more lives.

STUDY GUIDE

Direction: Identify if the following is a hazard or a disaster.
_____________1. Tsunami in a deserted island in Japan
_____________2. Possibility of a typhoon to have a landfall
_____________3. Earthquake in a barangay in Quezon province
_____________4. War in a terrorist-infested region or province
5. Volcanic eruption in the middle of the Pacific Ocean
Let’s Check In!

Direction: Arrange the order of events on how disasters are formed. Just write the sequence number on
the blank provided.
_________ A. natural process
_________ B. disaster
_________ C. damages
_________ D. hazard
_________ E. recovery
Let’s Sum Up!

Instruction: Answer the following questions below.
1. Differentiate disaster from hazard.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
2. How and when a disaster becomes a hazard?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

STUDY GUIDE
LESSON 1.5 AREAS OR LOCATIONS EXPOSED TO HAZARD
When traveling for the first time, it is a natural tendency to be wary of one’s surroundings. It may be because
of curiosity, cautiousness, or both that urges anyone to be more familiar with new places. In terms of safety and
preparedness, awareness of your surroundings is very important. What things should you be aware of about areas
exposed to hazards?
The Philippines is geographically located at the “Pacific Ring of Fire”. These are countries that are usually
hit by disasters like earthquake. According to the Center for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED),
the worst combination of disasters experienced by the Philippines was from 1901 to 2000. The occurrence and
effects of disasters are inevitable but reducing the severity can be done by proper mitigation procedures.
One way to reduce disaster impact is to identify the areas exposed or prone to hazards. This information is
helpful in planning for disaster risk reduction and management. Identifying hazards can be categorized per type of
hazard. This lesson focuses on identifying different areas exposed to natural hazards.
Prediction and Warning

Prediction is a statement of probability of hazards to occur based on a number of evidences or observations. These
observations can come from precursor events or unusual physical changes. For example, volcanic eruptions are
usually preceded by a series of earthquakes and changes in the chemical composition of the gases coming from the
volcanic vent. Monitoring these activities can predict potential volcanic eruptions. A warning is a signal that tells
of a high probability of occurrence of a hazard. When a warning is issued, the community should be alert on the
dangers of the potential event and proper measures should be made.

STUDY GUIDE
Climate and Weather Related Hazards

Areas with low elevation is more prone to impacts of typhoons and floods. Also, areas with poor drainage systems,
located near bodies of water can be prone to floods as well. Steep landforms with poor vegetation are prone to
landslides during typhoons.
Geophysical Related Hazards

Earthquakes are more prominent in areas near fault lines. We can recall the tectonic plates in the earth’s crust and
identify which are the fault lines. Areas that are deep-focused, are prone to earthquakes because of its trench and
nearby active faults.
Man-made Related Hazards

Fire hazards can be caused by faulty electrical wiring, children playing with matches, candles left unattended,
burning garbage, leaking LPG tanks, and using firewood in cooking. War is considered the worst man-made
disaster. In the Philippines, the war in Marawi last May of 2017 caused a huge disaster not only to the city’s
infrastructure but to the lives of the people living there.

Direction: Describe the possible areas in a community prone to the different hazards below:
DISASTER PRONE AREA
1. VOLCANIC ERUPTION
2. TYPHOON
3. LANDSLIDE
4. EARTHQUAKE
5. TSUNAMI

STUDY GUIDE
LESSON 1.6 DISASTER FROM DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE
In lesson 4, you learned about the effects of disaster to one’s life and how people usually cope with it. Looking at a
bigger picture, a disaster does not just affect the individuals that have experienced it. There are other perspectives
to consider in studying its effects. This could also help in gathering information to create disaster risk reduction
plans in the future.
Physical and Environmental Aspect

When a disaster hits, the first line of impact is the environment. Disaster causes drastic changes in the structure of
the environment. For example, when an earthquake occurs in an area, there is a high possibility that roads will break
and crack. Landslides in the mountains causes erosion of the soil. This will lead to the removal of an arable layer
of soil. Arable soil is needed to plant more trees to prevent landslides in the future. Droughts can cause soil cracking
in farms as well because of the absence of water moisture. Because of this, farmers cannot provide enough supply
of crops because the land is not suitable for crop growth.
Socio-economic Aspect
Impacts of disaster in the socio-economic aspect include the state of the social well-being and the financial resources
of the community. Government agencies are responsible for reducing the socio-economic impacts of the community
through proper mitigation procedures. Recent studies revealed that developing countries like the Philippines are
more vulnerable to socio-economic impacts. One reason is that developing countries are more prone to disaster
impact because of its high vulnerability and low resistance. The low economic status of developing countries
contribute to their high vulnerability and mitigation procedures has to involve proper budget allocation. Urban areas
with more stable infrastructure are less vulnerable than areas with poor infrastructure. Proper information
dissemination and education about disasters are lacking in some rural areas. Because of this, they fail to implement
a proper disaster risk reduction plan in their area which would lead to higher risk and vulnerability to a disaster
impact.

STUDY GUIDE
Educational Aspect
Access to information is important in reducing the hazardous effects of disasters. Observation and data analysis is
not just essential for identifying risk in disasters but also to educate and train people on how to reduce disaster risk.
Students in elementary and high school are greater in population. This large percentage in a community is crucial
in literacy when it comes to disaster management. For example, students in Senior High School are taking up the
subject Disaster Readiness and Risk reduction as part of the new curriculum for the K to 12 program. However,
when disaster strikes, schools used as evacuation centers, hinder the education of the students.
Psychological Aspect
A natural or man-made disaster is a traumatic event that can cause stress, depression, and anxiety. People with
underlying mental illnesses is considered a vulnerable group. Shock and denial stages after disastrous events are
normal for victims that is why they need psycho-social intervention to be able to cope and live a normal life.
Biological Aspect
Disasters can cause health problems to individuals. In a larger scale, these diseases can cause an epidemic or an
outbreak especially if emergency care is not available. In terms of biological diversity, animals, and plants that live
in a community where disaster strikes can drastically decrease in number. This would result to imbalance in the
ecosystem and potentially limited access to food resources, agriculture, and livestock.
Political Aspect
A disaster may also change the way citizens feel about other people in general, like after giving donations to assist
affected individuals. A disaster may also affect public opinion about the government, because citizens can feel and
see how the government handled the effects of disaster. In that respect, potential social and political effects of
disasters occur through direct and indirect experiences. In the Philippines, a disaster have brought donations from
local and international agencies. Survivors and their families expected to rebuild their properties from those
donations but government rebuilding efforts seem too slow. This scenario made a huge political impact to the
country regarding the trust rating of government officials.
Let’s Check In!

Direction: Work with a partner and analyze the picture above showing war. Fill out the table below by
answering the questions about the image.
EFFECTS ON: ANSWER
1. Citizens
2. Economy
3. Infrastructure
4. Environment
5. Government

STUDY GUIDE
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. 3G ELearning FZ LLC. 2017. Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction. UAE: 3G ELearning FZ LLC.
2. ChildFund International. “The Devastating Impact of Natural Disasters”. Accessed January 23, 2018.
https://www.childfund.org/Content/NewsDetail/2147489272/
3. Commission on Higher Education and Philippine Normal University. 2016. Teaching Guide for Senior
High School Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction. Manila:
4. CHED. Cordaid. “Waka Waka: Lights That Brighten Lives”. Accessed January 22, 2018.
https://www.cordaid.org/en/news/waka-waka-lights-that-brighten-lives/
5. Dewberry. “When Natural Events Become Natural Disasters”. Accessed January 23, 2018.
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STUDY GUIDE
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St.

Bernadette College of Valenzuela

DISASTER READINESS AND RISK REDUCTION

LESSON 1.1 UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF DISASTER

The Philippines will never be free from hazards due to

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 1

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

Review of Previous Topic

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

THE FORMULA OF DISASTER

To understand the occurrence of disasters, a formula was

Sample Application of Vulnerability

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

Table 1. Types of Natural Hazards

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 4

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

Capacity pertains to the ability of every individual or group or the

Check Your Understanding

______ 3.A hazard in itself constitutes a disaster

______ 4.An event is a hazard even if no elements are exposed to danger

______ 5.Disaster risk can increase if capacity of the citizens is neglected

B. Direction: Identify the word/s being asked.

______1. It comes from the Greek word meaning “bad star”.

______3. A _______ is a threat to life, environment, or property.

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 5

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

Let’s Check In!

Let’s Step Up!

Disaster Alerts in Roads

1. What is the new technology developed by Japan for disaster information?

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 6

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

LESSON 1.2 UNDERSTANDING THE CONCEPT OF DISASTER RISK

According to UNISDR, 1.6 billion people have

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 7

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

RISK FACTORS UNDERLYING DISASTER

RISK FACTORS UNDERLYING DISASTER

AIMS OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

Disaster risk reduction aims to decrease the risk level in

 Reduce vulnerability to life, property, or

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 8

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

REDUCING DISASTER RISK

1. Lessen the rate of vulnerability by empowering people in disaster risk reduction.

Check Your Understanding

Let’s Check In!

2. Increased noise levels and lack of daylight in a built environment

3. Low self-esteem, perceived incompetence, negative view of life.

4. Increase of specific diseases

5. Traumatic life experiences, such as rape or serving in the armed forces

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 9

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

Let’s Sum Up!

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 10

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

LESSON 1.3 EFFECTS OF DISASTER

According to Child Fund International, 8

Devastations caused by disasters do not

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 11

Disaster Readiness and Risk Reduction – Grade 12

EFFECTS OF DISASTER ON ONE’S LIFE

Prepared By: Sandylyn P. Singson 12

3. A _ is a threat to life, environment, or property.